Supervisors plan to shake the tree for more vaccines

EL CENTRO — The Imperial County Board of Supervisors plan to send a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom for what they feel is an inequitable number of COVID-19 vaccines being allocated to the county.

Besides the low percentage of vaccine doses being sent to the Imperial County Public Health Department, there is no other evidence the county is being singled out.

Supervisor Jesus Eduardo Escobar said all anyone has to do is to look at and compare the county’s allocation numbers with the neighboring counties of San Diego and Riverside.

As of Tuesday morning 9,610 first doses had been provided to county residents, and 2,165 second doses had been administered, for a total of 11,775 doses administered over the last seven weeks when the vaccine first became available.

By comparison, 703,200 doses have been allocated in San Diego County, and more than 14 percent of residents have received the vaccine, according to the

San Diego County Public Health Department website.

According to the Riverside County Public Health Department website, 268,000 vaccines have been administered, accounting for roughly 11 percent of the county’s population.

Supervisor Jesus Eduardo Escobar said he thinks Imperial County is again at the end of the line when it comes to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

California is allocating COVID-19 vaccines as they become available to ensure equitable distribution. Initially, vaccination was limited to healthcare workers and long-term care residents.

Vaccinations are prioritized according to age and risk. A portion of the California population can get vaccinated now, and the rest should have access by spring 2021, according to the California Department of Public Health.

“We have been the worst part of the state since day 1 (of the pandemic),” Escobar said. “How is it equitable?”

He said what makes the numbers more appalling is Riverside County is vaccinating its agricultural workers at a rate five times that of Imperial County, even though this county has much more farmland than Riverside.

“While other countries can complain about the number of vaccines being received, our numbers are still less, as a percentage to these other counties,” he said.

Escobar said he thinks it comes down to the four major metropolitan areas of the state versus Imperial County.

“It’s time to take the gloves off,” he said. “Our numbers are there. It’s black and white. I believe we are at the bottom of the barrel and are getting crumbs when it comes to the vaccine.”

Imperial County Public Health Director Janette Angulo said she and County Public Health Officer Steven Munday have asked for more vaccines for the county, and the response is there are no more additional vaccines.

“We don’t request, but the state allocates, but we have been asking for more,” she said.

Escobar said the Board of Supervisors need to act.

“I would put more pressure on us to demand why we (are not getting them) and demand more vaccines,” he said. “As the Board of Supervisors, we should be more vocal and demand to get more vaccines whether that works or not.”

Supervisor Chairman Mike Kelley agreed more consideration needs to be given to the county, and he supported the letter.

Supervisor Ray Castillo, who reported he and his wife have been vaccinated, said a letter of opposition to what is happening now needs to be sent.

Munday said things could get better soon as a third vaccine from Johnson and Johnson could be available by the end of the month or the first week of March.

“We would have one more vaccine,” Munday said, adding this could put the county in the right direction.

The ICPHD and the Board of Supervisors were told about the most vulnerable residents, some who have no way to get to the vaccination clinics and others who have no Internet to sign up.

Angulo said there is a coordination effort happening because the health department recognizes some of these limitations.

“We will work on strategies for the most vulnerable.” she said.

The health department will conduct a mass vaccination clinic Friday where 80 percent of the 1,775 doses received this week will be administered. Details are expected to be released today.