About a third of local education sector vaccinated or scheduled
There are currently 6,000 spots scheduled through March in closed PODs for the workforce
SALINAS >> Last Wednesday the eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations expanded to include all education sector workers, and now about onethird have been vaccinated or are scheduled for vaccination.
Monterey County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Daneen Guss said that there are currently 6,000 spots scheduled through March in closed PODs (points of distribution) for the workforce.
“Natividad (hospital) had the first clinic last Thursday with 650 in the POD,” said Guss.
Education leaders have partnered with different health care providers for these closed PODs including Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Natividad hospital, Mee Memorial, Montage
Health, Clinic de Salud del Valle de Salinas, Doctors on Duty, Visiting Nurse Association, and the Soledad Community Health Care District.
As of March 3, eligibility for receiving a COVID-19 vaccination grew to include residents 65 years old and older that were not previously vaccinated — regardless of zip code — along with all residents at risk of exposure while working in the food, agriculture, childcare, education and emergency services sectors.
Others who continue to be eligible for inoculation with a COVID-19 vaccine include health care workers, longterm care residents, and emergency services personnel.
Guss said there are 18,000 workers from transitional kindergarten to higher education that work in the education sector in addition to 1,600 that work in childcare.
The nearly 20,000 workers in education and childcare can find vaccination appointments from numerous settings including the PODs, primary care providers, and CVS Pharmacies in Monterey and Salinas with more pharmacies expected to offer vaccinations as supplies increase.
Laurie Ramirez, the early learning manager with the Monterey County Office of Education, said that childcare providers need to make appointments for their COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Office of Education team works with childcare providers to get them surveyed, registered, and connected in English and Spanish so they can get appointments.
Early childhood educators are on the floor with kids and they do not have time to get on computers to see if appointments are available. “We are the middleman” for those childcare providers, 80% of which have remained open throughout the pandemic as essential workers taking care of other essential workers’ youngsters so they can continue to work and provide for their families.
“We are grateful for healthcare providers that have been opening slots for early childhood educators,” said Ramirez.
She said that Monday morning saw 30 slots filled and vaccinations completed with 75 more coming up at Mee Memorial in King City and 100 through the Soledad Community Health Care District.
Guss said the closed PODs for educators have 6,000 spots currently but it changes every day as the supply of vaccine is delivered to the county and another clinic can be scheduled.
Monterey County Health Officer, Dr. Edward Moreno said last week the county is working with superintendents to have PODs set up to get vaccine for those in education and childcare.
Guss said health care providers have been providing support to the education sector to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Schools are getting excited about developing (COVID-19 safety) plans and getting vaccinated is one strategy that is very important to that plan,” said Guss. “I encourage any educator to get vaccinated at the first opportunity.”
Monterey County continues to receive and distribute COVID-19 vaccine throughout the county. As of the last reporting period ending on March 1, the total number of state COVID-19 vaccine doses allocated to Monterey County for local vaccine providers was 91,620. The number of doses received was 76,670. The number of doses administered to county residents was 59,044 or 77% of doses received.
“Throughout the county, 15% of Monterey County residents 18 years and older have had at least one dose of the vaccine,” said Moreno at last week’s COVID-19 media briefing.
He added that California should expect to get 3 million doses administered in March and 4 million in April.
The amount of vaccine Monterey County receives is expected to continue to increase over time and the county health department and other local vaccine providers have plans for the increased allocations, continuing to offer a variety of ways for those eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Currently, three vaccines have been approved for Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. Pfizer is a two-dose regimen that requires special handling and storage, Moderna likewise is a two-dose vaccine that can be kept in standard pharmacy freezers, and the Johnson & Johnson serum is one-dose and can be stored in a standard pharmacy refrigerator.
While doses are still limited, the Monterey County Health Department urges all individuals to continue to wear a face covering, practice social distancing, and avoid gathering with individuals outside the home while waiting for vaccination.
As of Saturday, there were 31 more confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Monterey County bringing the total of confirmed cases to 42,404. The number of cases currently hospitalized remained unchanged at 39 but two more individuals died to bring the total to 331 fatalities.