Health departments anticipate new vaccine
With a third vaccine option getting approval for use in the U.S. over the weekend, local county health departments said Monday the news is a positive development and they anticipate an eventual increase in supply as they await further allocations from the state.
The Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Saturday, making it the third vaccine available in the U.S. in addition to Pfizer and Moderna. Gov. Gavin Newsom subsequently announced on social media that California was expected to receive approximately 380,000 doses of the latest vaccine, which is a single-dose shot and doesn’t require low-temperature storage.
In Butte and Glenn counties, distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will add another avenue for residents to get vaccinated. However, details remain somewhat of an unknown beyond the emergency use authorization and California Department of Public Health’s estimate of statewide doses.
“This is very good news and means that we will have an additional vaccine added to the supply,” said Lisa Almaguer, Butte County Public Health’s public information officer, in an email. “We still don’t know how much we will be allocated and how long it will take to increase supply.”
Glenn County Public Health said it currently only has doses of the Moderna vaccine on hand, and like Butte County, it is awaiting further details on when and how much of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be distributed, said Laura Medina, Glenn County Public Health’s public information officer.
As of Monday, Glenn County opened its vaccine distribution list to include licensed childcare providers, food and agriculture personnel under Phase 1B, in addition to people 65 years of age and older, essential emergency services and education workers. Health care providers under Phase 1A are also continuing to get vaccinated. The county health department also introduced a “vaccine interest survey” on its website for residents who qualify, either by age or sector. The survey can be found at www.countyofglenn.net/dept/health- humanservices/public-health/covid 19/covid- 19- vaccineinformation.
First dose community vaccination clinics have been on hold for much of Butte County since early February. Butte County Public Health officials said the pause was due to a decreased allocation from the state.
On Monday, Butte County Public Health said it anticipates first dose clinics will resume on the week of March 8. Once dates and locations are scheduled, they will be posted with a link allowing eligible residents to schedule an appointment online at the county’s vaccination website, www.buttecounty.net/ph/COVID19/vaccine.
Specific to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Almaguer said there is a benefit to having a vaccine that requires only one dose and doesn’t need cold storage.
“Bottom line, the nation is making progress on the vaccine front and residents should get whichever vaccine that is offered to them as soon as they can,” Almaguer said.