Kern expands COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to all of Phase 1a

All priority groups within Phase 1a of the COVID-19 Vaccine Schedule are now eligible to be vaccinated in Kern County.

According to a news release from the county’s Public Health Services Department, the eligibility expansion announced Friday comes in conjunction with the California Department of Public Health announcing that COVID-19 vaccines should be immediately administered to those in all tiers of Phase 1a.

The following priority groups are now eligible in Phase 1a – Tier 3:

■ Specialty clinics

■ Laboratory workers

■ Dental and other oral health clinics

■ Pharmacy staff not working in settings at higher tiers

Kern Public Health said the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan is prioritized based on high-risk groups that are defined in several phases as well as tiers within those phases.

The county encourages residents to visit its Public Health website at https://kernpublichealth.com/coronavirus-vaccine/ for current vaccination information and resources.

Body XChange on Calloway Drive will be closing its doors because of COVID-19 and the economic impacts brought on by the pandemic.

According to a statement from John Ovanessian, who owns the local fitness chain, one of the locations in west Bakersfield will close Jan. 28.

“With the combination of our lease ending and the continued challenges/restrictions associated with COVID-19, it’s simply not financially viable or prudent for (Body XChange) to renew the Calloway lease,” Ovanessian wrote on the company’s website.

He added that throughout the country the health club industry has been adversely impacted because of economic restrictions during the pandemic and that “there’s simply not enough business to warrant three (Body XChange) clubs within a few miles of one another along with other nearby competing gyms.”

Ovanessian thanked his loyal customers and said it’s been a blessing to serve the community at the Calloway location for 15 years.

“We will forever be grateful,” he said.

The Kern High School District announced that it would be canceling meal distribution on Fridays to reduce the number of times that families need to come to school campuses. This new schedule will begin the week of Jan. 11.

Meals will continue to be distributed Monday through Thursday, according to a release from the district. However, Thursday’s distribution will now include meals for Friday, the weekend and any holiday meals.

All families with children ages 2 to 18 are welcome to pick up meals from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at all of the district’s comprehensive high schools and Nueva High School. At Arvin High School meal distribution is from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Bakersfield College is rolling out the next section of its two-week, noncredit course with a curriculum on mental health resilience.

According to a news release from BC, the online course is designed to introduce theories, strategies and methods for individuals to build and maintain psychological resilience skills.

Upcoming sections for the course are:

■ CRN 33862 beginning Monday, Jan. 11

■ CRN 33893 beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19

■ CRN 33900 beginning Monday, Jan. 25 The college said existing students can sign up by logging onto their InsideBC account and search for the corresponding CRN nunber under the spring 2021 course offerings. New students will need to apply by visiting www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/ apply.