Finding reasons for optimism

MCDH Chief of Staff, Dr. William Miller

The rollout of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines have gone much more smoothly than many other aspects of battling this pandemic have so far. The process from FDA emergency use approval to distribution down through the states, to counties and finally health care facilities has gone very quickly.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Pfizer is expected to distribute 25 million doses in the US by year’s end with Moderna adding another 20 million. While 45 million is a lot, there are 330 million Americans. California, with its population of just shy of 40 million, has received about 350,000 doses so far. Thus, these initial doses must be distributed following a rational strategy.

This multi-phased strategy is dictated by the California Department of Public Health aided by recommendations from both the CDC and FDA. Emphasis is first given to areas of the State being hardest hit by the pandemic. The strategy places healthcare workers who care for COVID-19 patients first and includes many others such as emergency first responders. Nursing home staff and residents are also given priority.

Next, are other healthcare workers who, while perhaps not directly caring for COVID-19 patients, are none-the-less very important for the functioning of the overall health care system. Soon thereafter, the vaccine will be made available to people in the general public, starting with those who are at the highest risk.

I asked Dr. Andy Coren, our Mendocino County Health Officer, to share his perspective on the process.

“(Our health department) is carefully working through the ethical schedule required by State, prioritizing the most vulnerable people and front line HCWs and emergency service first responders,” Coren said.

He shared that they are starting to make plans to set up mass vaccination clinics once doses of the vaccine are made available for the general public. While it is still too early to say when that will happen, Coren assured me that the process of prioritization is being done carefully to ensure an equitable and ethical distribution.

Two weeks ago, we started administering the first doses of the vaccine to our own front-line staff at the Adventist Health Mendocino Coast hospital. We have now been able to vaccinate most of the hospital and clinic staff as well as physicians, offering it to those who wish to receive it.

Since I am one of the doctors who help care for COVID patients, I got my shot on Dec. 18. Side effects experienced by those receiving it so far have been all minimal, mostly just soreness in the muscle for about two days.

This is the desired effect as one needs an inflammatory response to trigger the immune system to make antibodies, so that is a good thing. A booster shot is required in 3 weeks for Pfizer and 4 weeks for Moderna to bring the protection rate to about 95 percent.

This vaccine is likely to be a game-changer as we move into the New Year — and is certainly a reason to celebrate.

Fort Bragg City Manager, Tabatha Miller

Tuesday Testing: On Tuesday, I participated in the weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing at the Veteran’s Hall at 360 N. Harrison Street, here in Fort Bragg. It is open 9 am-5 pm and operated by the second traveling OptumServe team. OptumServe also operates daily surveillance testing in Ukiah at the Redwood Empire Fair Grounds.

From what I was told, it is busy at 9 a.m., slows down in the late morning and early afternoon but picks up in the late afternoon as folks get off work. I must say that my experience was fast and painless. I registered online at www.LHI.care and other than, some confusion about trying to schedule an appointment it was relatively easy.

By the way, at this time, you cannot schedule appointments for Fort Bragg but are required to just show up. Also notable, it was only a swab of my nostrils and not the deep dive. Excluding the 10 minutes that I chatted (outside, with masks and socially distanced) with the Police Chief Naulty and Mayor Norvell, who I ran into at the Veteran’s Hall, it took about 10 minutes.

It is important to participate in local surveillance testing. To keep it, at least 165 tests must be completed every Tuesday. So if you haven’t already, please register and get in the habit of testing regularly every other Tuesday.

Business Grants and Loans: Also on Tuesday, I also participated in a webinar for the $500 million California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program. The program announced by Governor Newsom on Dec. 4 opens for application for Round 1 Dec. 30, at 6 a.m. and closes Jan. 8, at 11:59 p.m.

Grant funding ranges from $5,000 to $25,000, depending on gross revenues. The second round of distributions will follow with application dates to be announced. Qualified applicants who applied in the first round will automatically be rolled into the second round without having to reapply. Both rounds of funding are approximately $237.5 million. The program is not “first-comefirst-serve,” but grants will be distributed based on program priority factors.

Eligible small businesses including for-profit business entities and nonprofits (registered as 501(c) (3) or 501(c)(6)) with yearly gross revenue of $2.5 million or less and operating in California with a physical California address. Find more information and to apply online visit careliefgrant.com.

Locally, here at the city, we anxiously await an award response from the California Department of Housing and Community Development on our pending application for $500,000 to fund a Business Assistance Loan Program and an additional $117,000 to fund a Microenterprise Financial Assistance Program. We anticipate that the program will be funded and available for application in January 2021. A press release will announce when the program opens.

Recent Sewer Testing Results: The city’s sewer COVID-19 test results for Dec.16, reflected the highest to date concentrations of the two strains of the