Live Blog: COVID-19 Vaccines Soon Available To Patients With Underlying Medical Conditions

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COVID-19 Vaccines Soon Available To Patients With Underlying Medical Conditions

– 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Starting next Monday, COVID-19 vaccinations become available for those 16 to 64 with underlying medical conditions. County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher made the announcement Wednesday, but added that first appointments may be hard to find and people will need to show documentation for medical conditions.

Officials said underlying medical conditions include, but are not limited to: cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic pulmonary disease, sickle cell, obesity and Down syndrome.

Fletcher said with vaccinations rising in key areas of the state and local infection rates falling, he’s expecting San Diego to be out of California’s most-restrictive purple reopening tier as soon as next week. Moving to the less-restrictive red tier allows for limited indoor operations at restaurants and gyms. It also means more schools can reopen.

Officials announced on Wednesday they would begin closing a 200-bed federal field hospital set up in Escondido to deal with the surge in hospitalizations. Coronavirus ICU admissions and hospitalizations have been steadily falling in San Diego County. At the same time, plans were revealed to convert the downtown San Diego Convention Center into a vaccination site, once more doses arrive to the region.

Some 14,000 doses of the new single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine are now in San Diego, but supply issues are still slowing, and in some cases pausing, vaccinations.

“We are very hopeful — I’ve seen the president say multiple times that by May every adult who wants a vaccine will have access to it — that’s great,” Fletcher said. “We’re in March so we need that to start trickling down here to the counties so we can start getting it into arms.”

The county is also launching a new media campaign that will have TV ads running in English and Spanish, hoping to reach those hesitant about getting vaccinated.

Right now, nearly 25% of San Diegans aged 16 and over have received at least one dose, while around 13% of county residents are fully vaccinated. With some appointment delays piling up, officials are saying it is OK if second dose appointments are pushed beyond the recommended six-week window.

“Folks having to delay past 42 days — that is OK — you should still try to get your shot as early as you can,” said Dr. Eric McDonald, medical director for the county’s epidemiology and immunization services department. “And you don’t need to repeat a first dose —- that’s a very common question.” – Matt Hoffman, KPBS General Assignment Reporter

San Diego County Plans For Earlier-Than-Expected Promotion To Red Tier

– 5:02 p.m., Wednesday, March 10, 2021

A possible change to California’s COVID-19 reopening schedule could have San Diego County promoted to the less-restrictive red tier by as early as next Wednesday, county officials announced this Wednesday, while reporting 349 new infections and eight additional deaths.

California’s Department of Public Health modified the Blueprint for a Safer Economy to lead with opening activities when vaccines have been deployed to the hardest-hit communities. The modification will shift Blueprint tier thresholds to allow slightly higher case rates per 100,000 population once more inoculations have occurred in the communities suffering the most, allowing counties to move to less restrictive tiers.

The initial goal of the vaccine equity metric is to deliver a minimum of 2 million doses to the hardest-hit quarter of the state as measured by the Healthy Places Index. The state estimates it will deliver the 2 million doses to that quartile this week.

The floor for the most-restrictive purple tier will move to 10 daily cases per 100,000 population once the state hits that benchmark. As of Tuesday’s state update, San Diego County has a case rate of 8.8 per 100,000 — enough to qualify for one week of the proposed changed red tier. – City News Service

San Diego County Remains In Purple Tier, But COVID-19 Numbers Improve

– 2:20 p.m., Tuesday, March 9, 2021

San Diego County will remain in the most-restrictive purple tier of the state’s four-tiered coronavirus reopening plan, it was announced Tuesday, but there is a still a possibility to be promoted to the less-restrictive red tier by the end of the month.

According to state data released Tuesday, San Diego County has an adjusted case rate of 8.8 new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. To be promoted to the red tier — and its limited allowance of indoor dining, gyms, movie theaters and other businesses and services — the county must report a daily case rate of fewer than 7 per 100,000 and then maintain that rate for two weeks.

By these numbers, the earliest the county could move to the red tier is March 30. The California Department of Public Health assesses counties on a weekly basis and schedules updates for Tuesdays.

The testing positivity percentage is 3.3%, placing the county in the orange tier. While the testing positivity rate for the county qualifies it for orange, the state uses the most restrictive metric — in this case the adjusted case rate — and assigns counties to that tier. The county’s health equity metric, which looks at the testing positivity for areas with the lowest healthy conditions, is 4.5% and is also in the orange tier. – City News Service

Scripps Del Mar Fairgrounds Vaccination Super Station Closing Friday Through Sunday

– 1:28 p.m., Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Scripps Health announced Tuesday that the Del Mar Fairgrounds Super Station will be closed Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 14 due to a shortage in COVID-19 vaccines.

The station will reopen Monday, March 15.

Patients who had appointments at the Scripps Del Mar Fairgrounds Vaccination Super Station on one of those three closed days are being rescheduled for either Thursday, March 11, or early next week automatically through the MyTurn online appointment system.

A small number of appointments at that site on Wednesday will be rescheduled to Thursday because of a programming error on the MyTurn system.

However, patients with second dose appointments will be rescheduled from Friday, Saturday and Sunday to Monday, March 15.

The MyTurn system is expected to notify patients of these changes. – KPBS Staff

COVID-19 Vaccine Made Available To Convention Center Shelter Residents, Staff

– 6:13 p.m., Monday, March 8, 2021

The single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will be made available Tuesday and Wednesday to shelter residents and staff of Operation Shelter to Home at the San Diego Convention Center, the mayor’s office said in a release Monday.

City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Firefighters and Lifeguards will administer the vaccinations on-site Tuesday and Wednesday.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria had announced on March 5 a timeline and plans for residents of the Convention Center shelter to be relocated to several other city shelters by the end of March.

“The vaccines offer another level of protection against the COVID-19 virus ahead of the moves that are slated to begin the week of March 22,” read the release.

Operation Shelter to Home was launched April 1, 2020 to provide shelter for those experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. – KPBS Staff

307 New COVID-19 Cases Reported As County Awaits State Data

– 5:20 p.m., Monday, May 5, 2021

San Diego County public health officials reported 307 new COVID-19 infections Monday, as the county awaits state data Tuesday which could promote it to the less-restrictive red tier of the state’s four-tiered economic recovery plan.

San Diego County remains in the most restrictive purple tier, but just barely. The county’s state-calculated, adjusted case rate is currently 10.8 cases per 100,000 residents. It needs to be below seven per 100,000 to head into the red tier.

The testing positivity percentage is 4.2%, placing the county in the orange tier. While the testing positivity rate for the county qualifies it for orange, the state uses the most restrictive metric — in this case, the adjusted case rate — and assigns counties to that tier. The county’s health equity metric, which looks at the testing positivity for areas with the lowest healthy conditions, is 6% and is in the red tier.

The California Department of Public Health assesses counties on a weekly basis. The next report is scheduled for Tuesday. — City News Service

Fully Vaccinated People Can Gather Without Masks, CDC Says

– 11:23 a.m., Monday, March 8, 2021

Fully vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing. That’s according to long-awaited guidance from federal health officials. The recommendations were announced Monday.

They also say that vaccinated people can come together in the same way with people considered at low-risk for severe disease, such as in the case of vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy children and grandchildren.

Officials say a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine. About 30 million Americans or only about 9% of the U.S. population have been fully vaccinated with a federally authorized COVID-19 vaccine so far. — Associated Press

187 New COVID-19 Infections, Five Deaths Reported In San Diego County

– 5:45 p.m., Friday, March 7, 2021

San Diego County public health officials reported 187 new COVID-19 infections and five deaths Sunday, increasing the totals to 262,968 cases and 3,390 deaths.

As of Sunday, of the county’s population over the age of 16, 23.4% — or nearly 629,783 people — have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 12.2% — or more than 327,958 people — have been fully inoculated. — City News Service

421 New COVID-19 Infections, 14 Deaths Reported In San Diego County

– 5:42 p.m., Saturday, March 6, 2021

San Diego County public health officials reported 421 new COVID-19 infections and 14 deaths Saturday, increasing the totals to 262,781 cases and 3,385 deaths as stadiums and theme parks have been cleared to reopen in California beginning April 1 subject to strict conditions.

Theme parks can reopen at 15% capacity in the red tier of the state’s four-tiered reopening plan. Capacity levels will shift to 25% in the orange tier and 35% in the yellow tier.

Of 12,946 tests reported by the county Saturday, 3% returned positive.

The number of hospitalizations declined to 371, with 117 of those in intensive care units. There are 61 staffed, available ICU beds in the county.

There were no new community outbreaks reported Saturday. There have been 28 outbreaks over the last seven days with 123 cases associated with those outbreaks.

San Diego County is in the most restrictive, purple, tier, but numbers are trending downward at such a rate the county could be promoted to the red tier this month.

Of the county’s population over the age of 16, 23.1% — or nearly 620,000 people — have received at least one dose and 11.9% — or more than 319,000 people — have been fully inoculated. – City News Service

San Diego County Reports 499 New COVID-19 Cases, 12 Deaths

– 6:49 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2021

San Diego County public health officials reported 499 new COVID-19 infections and 12 deaths Friday, increasing the county’s totals to 262,360 cases and 3,371 deaths.

Of 13,752 tests reported by the county, 4% returned positive. The 14-day rolling average decreased to 3.4% from Thursday’s 3.6%.

The number of hospitalizations declined to 405, with 128 of those in intensive care units. There are 67 staffed, available ICU beds in the county.

One month ago, there were 1,246 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 360 of whom were in ICU beds.

Of the county’s population over the age of 16, 23.1% — or nearly 620,000 people — have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 11.9% — or more than 319,000 people — have been fully inoculated. — City News Service

California To Let Major League Baseball, Disneyland Reopen

– 3:00 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2021

California is allowing people to attend Major League Baseball games and other sports, go to Disneyland and watch live performances in limited capacities starting April 1.

The rules announced Friday coincide with baseball’s opening day. The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics all have home games scheduled for April 1.

California divides its counties into four color-coded tiers based on the spread of the coronavirus. Attendance limits are based on what tier a county is in.

Theme parks can open at 15% capacity in the tier that’s the second-highest risk level and only people who live in California can buy tickets. Sports in areas with the most spread will be limited to 100 people. — Associated Press

San Diego Administers Its 1 Millionth Dose Of COVID-19 Vaccine

– 12:00 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2021

San Diego County has administered its 1 millionth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Friday, San Diego County Chair Nathan Fletcher said.

“We are moving faster than any other county in the state of California to administer these vaccines so we can get our kids back in school, get our businesses open, get back in the ballpark for Opening Day and really move forward,” he said.

There are 27 vaccination sites or events located throughout the San Diego County region, though delays in vaccine shipments have caused some sites to temporarily close lately.

The county has the capacity to administer 33,000 vaccinations on a daily basis and more than 1 million per month, but is averaging about 14,000 vaccinations each day because of the shortage.

Fletcher said the county now expects to receive its first shipments of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week. — KPBS Staff

Legoland California Opens For ‘Build ‘N Play Days’

– 10:18 a.m., Friday, March 5, 2021

Legoland California Resort begins its “Build ‘N Play Days” Friday, allowing families to enjoy some of the park’s outdoor attractions in a socially distanced environment.

The limited-time event, running through May 5, is also allowing the park to bring back hundreds of employees furloughed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Guests will have access to play structures within the park such as Kai’s Spinners and Cole’s Rock Climb, building activities, a scavenger hunt in Miniland U.S.A., live entertainment, character meet-and-greets and shopping at the Big Shop.

Build ‘N Play activities include a Miniland dance party where guests can do the “Lego limbo” and design their own Minifigure on the roof of the model shop. Two building activities are intended to stretch children’s imaginations with separate sanitized brick packs and a space for children’s creations to stay on display each weekend.

Legoland was forced to shut down last March, along with other theme parks, which are not allowed to fully reopen until the least-restrictive yellow tier of California’s four-tiered reopening system is reached. San Diego County remains in the most restrictive purple tier.

Legoland California Resort President Kurt Stocks said he is optimistic they’ll be able to reopen in the near future.

“Obviously, we’re waiting on Governor Newsom to give us the green light to fully reopen, but at this moment we are going out into the market and we are advertising quite literally hundreds of jobs that we will need filled as we get ready to reopen,” he told NBC7.

Those interested can apply at legolandjobs.com.

Tickets for Build ‘N Play Days start at $19.99 and can be purchased by clicking here. — City News Service

San Diego County Reports 508 New COVID-19 cases, 17 Deaths

– 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 4, 2021

San Diego County public health officials reported 508 new COVID-19 cases and 17 additional deaths Thursday, increasing the totals to 261,861 cases and 3,359 deaths.

Of 17,763 tests reported by the county, 3% returned positive. The 14-day rolling average decreased to 3.6% from Wednesday’s 3.7%.

The number of hospitalizations declined to 430, with 144 of those in intensive care units. There are 62 staffed, available ICU beds in the county.

One month ago, there were 1,265 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 369 of whom were in ICU beds.

Of the county’s population over the age of 16, 22.1% — or more than 594,000 people — have received at least one dose and 10.7% — or more than 287,000 people — have been fully inoculated. — City News Service

Del Mar Vaccination Super Station Closing Saturday, Reopening Sunday

– 12:00 p.m., Thursday, March 4, 2021

The Scripps Del Mar Vaccination Super Station will be closed on Saturday, March 6, due to the low number of COVID-19 vaccine doses that were delivered to Scripps Health this week.

The station will reopen the following day on Sunday, March 7.

Patients who had appointments at the super station on Saturday, which were all for second doses of the Pfizer vaccine, are being rescheduled for Sunday automatically through the MyTurn online appointment system. — KPBS Staff

County Prioritizes Second Dose Appointments As Vaccine Shortage Continues

– 7:10 p.m., Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Local vaccination sites are prioritizing people with second dose appointments because of the ongoing vaccine shortage, the county announced Wednesday.

There is currently a delay in Moderna vaccine shipments because of bad weather a few weeks ago across the U.S. The county shortage of Moderna vaccines is conflated with the Pfizer vaccines being used almost exclusively for people due for their second doses.

Those two issues are causing delays in the release of new appointments for people getting the vaccines for the first time.

“Our sites are working diligently to complete the vaccinations of people who are due for their second doses,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said. “When we get through the Moderna backlog, and more doses arrive, including the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine, first-dose appointments will be released for the many people who are both eligible and eager to get vaccinated.” — KPBS Staff

San Diego County On Path To Red Tier

– 4:36 p.m., Wednesday, March 3, 2021

San Diego County public health officials reported 352 new COVID-19 cases and 25 additional deaths Wednesday as health care sites await more vaccines, including the one-dose vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.

On Wednesday, Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said the county should be proud of the sacrifice it had made during the pandemic and suggested a change in the formula the state uses to calculate its four-tiered reopening structure could be on the way.

He said the more that vulnerable populations receive vaccines, the “more it changes the calculus” of the state’s metrics. However, vaccine shortages have frustrated efforts to get doses into arms.

“It is consistently erratic and consistently unpredictable,” Fletcher said of vaccine deliveries.

The county’s largest vaccine site, Petco Park, reopened Wednesday after closing Saturday due to a Moderna vaccine shortage. It had to temporarily shutter several hours later, however, due to a winter storm bringing lightning.

“As of noon today, the Petco Vaccination Super Station has briefly paused operations due to safety concerns related to nearby lightning,” UC San Diego Health wrote on Twitter. “The site will reopen as soon as authorities determine it is safe to do so.” — City News Service

San Diego To Stay In Purple Tier, Receive Johnson & Johnson Vaccine This Week

– 5:22 p.m., Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Despite considerable improvement in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in recent weeks, San Diego County will remain in the state’s “Purple Tier” for at least one more week, it was announced Tuesday, as county officials reported 376 new infections and 14 deaths related to the virus.

Posting an adjusted case rate of 10.8 new daily cases per 100,000 people, the county still has to drop below 7 per 100,000 to enter the red tier in the state’s four-tiered reopening system. In the red tier, some indoor businesses such as gyms, movie theaters and indoor dining can reopen.

County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said it was just a matter of time before the county moved up.

“San Diego County is headed in the right direction, our cases are dropping and the number of vaccines administered continues to lead our state,” he said Tuesday. “We are seeing more school openings and know we are on the path to a lower tier. It is vital we continue to do everything we can to slow the spread and continue our forward progress and momentum.”

The county’s other metrics under the state reopening plan are also trending favorably. The seven-day positivity rate is just 4.2%, low enough to put San Diego County in the orange or moderate tier. The health equity quartile positivity rate — which looks at the worst-performing quarter of a county’s residents — is in the red tier with 6%. The state judges each county by its worst-performing metric — in San Diego County’s case, the daily case rate. — City News Service

Biden Vows Enough Vaccine For All US Adults By End Of May

– 3:29 p.m., Tuesday, March 2, 2021

President Joe Biden says the U.S. expects to take delivery of enough coronavirus vaccine for all adults by the end of May — two months earlier than anticipated.

He’s also pushing states to get at least one shot into the arms of teachers by the end of May to hasten school reopenings. Biden has also announced that drugmaker Merck will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved one-shot vaccine.

Despite the stepped-up pace of vaccine production, the work of inoculating Americans could extend well into the summer. It depends on both the government’s capacity to deliver doses and Americans’ willingness to roll up their sleeves. — Associated Press

San Diego County Not Among 7 Counties Moving Into Less Restrictive Red Tier

– 12:50 p.m., Tuesday, March 2, 2021

San Diego County was not among the seven counties that moved into a less restrictive COVID-19 tier, from purple (widespread) to red (substantial), the state announced Tuesday.

San Diego County is reporting 11.3 new COVID-19 cases per day per 100,000 people. In order to move into the Red tier, the county needs to be reporting under seven new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people.

The seven counties moving into Red tier are:

–El Dorado

–Lassen

–Modoc

–Napa

–San Francisco

–San Luis Obispo

–Santa Clara.

No counties moved to a more restrictive tier.

Forty counties remain in the purple tier, 16 in the red tier, and 2 remain in the orange (moderate) tier. — KPBS Staff

County Ready To Distribute Over $100 Million In COVID-19 Rental Assistance

– 7:36 a.m., Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Starting Tuesday, low-income renters throughout the San Diego region who have experienced COVID-19-related loss of income will be able to apply for additional rental and utility assistance grants.

San Diego County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, funded by more than $100 million in state and federal monies, is intended to help lessen housing cost burdens and maintain housing stability.

The program will primarily aid eligible people who are behind on rent and/or utility payments, covering the period from April 2020 to March 2021. Utilities include costs such as electricity, gas, water and sewer, trash and other energy costs not included in the rent.

“This is a new lifeline for people who are having trouble making ends meet due to the pandemic,” said County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “We want to make sure this public health crisis does not leave San Diegans in debt or without a home. If you are having trouble paying rent or utilities, we are here to help.”

The amount of rental arrears covered will depend on whether the landlord agrees to participate in the program. Landlords owed back rent can also apply on behalf of their tenants. — City News Service

San Diego County Reports 269 COVID-19 Cases As Petco Vaccine Site Remains Closed

– 5:55 p.m., Monday, March 1, 2021

San Diego County public health officials reported 269 new COVID-19 infections Monday and no deaths, while the vaccine shortage kept Petco Park’s COVID-19 superstation closed.

The closure comes at an inopportune time, as more than 500,000 emergency services, child care and education and food and agriculture workers were scheduled to be eligible to receive vaccines beginning this week.

The county’s existing doses will be largely reserved for second doses until the vaccine supply issue can be resolved.

Of the county’s population over the age of 16, 21.3% — or 572,546 people– have received at least one dose and 10.1% — or 272,377 people — have been fully inoculated the county reported on Saturday.

Monday’s data increased the cumulative totals in the county to 260,625 cases. No new deaths were reported and the death toll remains at 3,303.

Of 7,180 tests reported by the county, 4% returned positive. The 14- day rolling average decreased to 3.8% from 4.4% Sunday. — City News Service

San Diego Comic-Con Going Virtual For Second Year

– 12:35 p.m., Monday, March 1, 2021

For the second year in a row, San Diego Comic-Con has canceled its in-person event because of the ongoing pandemic and will go virtual, the organization announced Monday.

The annual pop-culture convention plans to also host a smaller “Comic-Con Lite” three-day event in November with details to be announced later.

“While we lament the postponement of the in-person Comic-Con, our commitment to this community of fans and our celebration of comics and the related popular arts endures as an import of who we are,” Comic-Con International said in a statement posted to Twitter.

Fans who opted to have last year’s passes rolled over to this year can have their passes rolled over again to 2022 or request a full refund. — KPBS Staff

Deal Reached To Get California Children Back In Classrooms

– 8:25 a.m. Monday, March 1, 2021

California’s public schools could get $6.6 billion from the state Legislature if they return to in-person instruction by the end of March, according to a new agreement announced Monday between Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s legislative leaders.

Most of California’s public schools have not met in-person since March because of the coronavirus. Many districts have struggled to reach agreements with teachers’ unions on the best way to return students and staff to the classroom.

Newsom, who could face a recall election later this year spurred by his handling of the coronavirus, has been at odds with legislative leaders on the best way to encourage school districts to return students to the classroom. California can’t order schools to return to in-person instruction, but state officials can offer a lot of money to those that do.

The agreement sets aside $6.6 billion for schools that return to in-person instruction by March 31. The bill is a deal between Newsom, state Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, all Democrats. It was confirmed by Atkins’ office. Newsom’s office has scheduled a formal announcement for late Monday morning.

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