Lake County’s opinions on local/state issues

Check out today’s editorial column, cartoon and columnist perspectives.

According to the latest data from the Center for Disease Control’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration data tracker, which compiles data from healthcare facilities and public health officials, California ranks 49 out of 50 states with only a bit over 37 percent of vaccines distributed. This is an embarrassing and disappointing state of affairs which obviously needs to be addressed and immediately corrected.

USA Today reported that the United States over the weekend surpassed 25 million cases of COVID-19, but an influential coronavirus model estimates the true number is likely to be much higher. At a recent meeting of the Cobb Area Council, District 5 Supervisor Jessica Pyska informed those on the call about the widespread rate of the virus in the county. “Right now we’re really in a dark place with our infections,” she said pointing to a graph from the county’s website which showed COVID cases have been increasing weekly since around mid October.

California’s lagging vaccine distribution pales in comparison to other populated states such as New York. According to state officials, New York’s health care distribution sites have received 1,304,050 first doses and administered 88 percent or 1,144,070 first dose vaccinations.

We are cognizant of the fact some people are hesitant to get the vaccine. For example, a recent survey of Lakeport Unified School District employees revealed 150 employees said yes to getting the vaccine versus 40 who said no, but it hasn’t helped that anti-vaccine activists have been continuing misinformation campaigns on social media. According to Kaiser Health News, some of these groups have been fabricating stories of deaths that never occurred, and using the death and suffering of people who become ill after receiving a COVID vaccine shot.

We think it’s imperative that our local government pressure the state into accelerating the pace of vaccine distribution and to make more doses of the vaccine available to rural Lake County. The Board of Supervisors should put this at the top of their agenda and make use of their connection to local members of the legislature like Mike Thompson and Mike McGuire to convince state officials that they have to do more and do it quickly.

We give praise to the BOS for their ongoing advocacy and efforts to help local businesses, but we also think an equal amount of effort should be dedicated to address the challenges associated with the pandemic such as pushing the state towards improving vaccine distribution. We think board Chair Bruno Sabatier should craft one of those letters he is fond of sending to state officials requesting the governor authorize an increase in weekly doses of the vaccine and whatever additional state assistance can be provided to aid our taxed local health department.

County Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace said late last week that around 2000 people have been vaccinated with the supply that has so far been received by the health department. Pace has also said that at the current rate, all of the people in the county who wanted to be vaccinated (roughly 25,000-30,000) wouldn’t be able to until the end of 2022. That timeline is obviously not acceptable if we ever expect to reach the 70 percent of the population health experts say is needed to achieve herd immunity.

The Editorial Board, Lake County Record Bee