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Alpine County Health Department, 75-B Diamond Valley Rd., Markleeville, CA 96120 Alpine County Board of Supervisors, Phone: (530) 694-2281 District 1: January Riddle, District 2: Ron Hames, District 3: Irvin Jim, District 4: Terry Woodrow, District 5: David Griffith Wednesday January 27, 2021 Alpine County Update - COVID-19 Vaccine - All vaccine appointments for today in Woodfords have been cancelled due to concern for the safety of staff and public in the current winter storm. All have been rescheduled for next Wednesday Feb 3rd. - Weather permitting, vaccinations will be administered in Bear Valley tomorrow Jan 28th. If cancellation needs to occur, persons with appointments will be notified and rescheduled. Who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccine in Alpine County? - All persons at least 65 years of age who live in Alpine County - Persons who work in Alpine County in the following 3 sectors: • Education, including early childhood education and child care • Emergency services (law enforcement, fire services) • Food and agriculture, including food services (restaurants and bars) • Other frontline essential workers as determined by interview Where can I get vaccinations? - Woodfords at the Alpine County Health Department Clinic - Bear Valley, in the Perry Walther Building - Washoe Tribal Health Center in Dresslerville How do I make an appointment? - Woodfords and Bear Valley – call the Warm Line at [PHONE REDACTED] - Washoe Tribal Health Center – call [PHONE REDACTED] Public Health Brief Richard O. Johnson, M.D., MPH Nichole Williamson Public Health Officer HHS Director Office: [PHONE REDACTED], Ext 249 Office: [PHONE REDACTED] e-mail: [EMAIL REDACTED] 24/7/365 Emergency Contact Number Dispatch: [PHONE REDACTED], Ext 330 Warm Line: [PHONE REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Health Department, 75-B Diamond Valley Rd., Markleeville, CA 96120 Alpine County Board of Supervisors, Phone: (530) 694-2281 District 1: January Riddle, District 2: Ron Hames, District 3: Irvin Jim, District 4: Terry Woodrow, District 5: David Griffith Background The rollout of vaccinations has been clumsy, hampered by inadequate supply to meet the need, and lack of information about anticipated supply which prevents effective planning. Recent developments have occurred at both the federal and state levels to address these issues: - Biden administration aims to have enough vaccine for most Americans by summertime I Reuters - COVID Vaccine: California Assumes Greater Control Of Vaccine Distribution – CBS San Francisco (cbslocal.com) It is not clear to Alpine County what this will mean for our vaccine supply, but we are hopeful for both increased supply and advanced notice of 3 weeks as to anticipated allocations. Our goals: - To vaccinate those at highest risk of poor outcomes from infection (seniors) and those at highest risk of exposure (essential workers) - To ensure the completion of the series of 2 vaccinations within 28-42 days with full doses. - To balance the supply and demand efficiently. We do not want to make appointments or promises we cannot keep, but we recognize that vaccine in our freezer does no one any good. The vaccine must be in people’s arms to reduce community risk of illness and death! What is happening with the current surge? - The Governor has released all regions and counties from the Regional Stay-at-Home Orders: Governor Newsom California COVID-19 Update: January 25, 2020 - YouTube (Starts 8 minutes into the link) - Alpine County is currently in the Red Tier: Blueprint for a Safer Economy - Coronavirus COVID-19 Response (ca.gov) We are currently meeting criteria for eventually moving to a less restrictive tier. COVID-19 I Alpine County, CA - Official Website What are the current threats: - Mutant variant strains: New COVID-19 Variants I CDC So far, evidence says that the Moderna vaccine is still effective against the new strains that have been appearing. - Complacency: This is far from over, and the worst may be yet to come if new strains appear or the vaccine is not effective against any of them. Why the Covid Vaccine Rollout Is Not Enough to Curb Infections - The New York Times (nytimes.com) - We believe that people who have been vaccinated are protected from disease, but do not know if they could potentially carry the virus in their nose and spread it to others. We all must continue to wear our mask and practice social distancing! Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination I CDC