1 in 5 have received COVID vaccine
About a fifth of Humboldt County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
As of Tuesday, 20.28% of residents have received at least one dose and 12.02%, or 16,336 residents, have received both doses, according to a Wednesday county press release. In total the county has administered 43,142 doses so far and administered 7,314 during the week prior.
More than half, 51.83%, of the 75 and older population has been fully vaccinated and 69.92% have received at least one dose. For the 65 to 74 population, 23.5% have received both doses while 52.49% have received at least one dose.
Food and agriculture workers, ranging from people who work in restaurants and grocery stores to dairy farms and with medical marijuana, are now being prioritized for vaccination, about 10,000 people in the county, according to a county press release.
County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman said in a media availability video Wednesday that the administration of vaccines is still being slowed down by a supply bottleneck, but people interested in getting a vaccine can let Public Health know by visiting humboldtgov.org/vaccineinfo or calling 707-441-5000.
The county is receiving 5,210 doses of the vaccine next week, of which 2,340 will be Pfizer-BioNTech doses while 2,870 will be Moderna doses, according to a Thursday press release. The state has not yet allocated any doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the county.
Last week, Lindsey Mendez, family nurse practitioner and member of the COVID-19 vaccine task force, said in a Media Availability video that the interest form has been helping fill vaccination clinics, get people on waitlists and close the divide between people who have internet access and those who don’t.
The county is working to vaccinate people who might be difficult to reach and those individuals would be prioritized for the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine once it’s received, Mendez said.
“At this time we have decided to utilize the vaccine with persons who may have transportation issues, they may not be able to see a doctor readily or persons
who work in certain facilities like agricultural centers and factories,” Mendez said.
According to the Humboldt County Joint Information Center, 15 additional cases of COVID-19 were reported in Humboldt County Thursday. One previously reported
case was removed after it was determined the person was from another jurisdiction, so the total number of county residents who have tested positive for the virus now stands at 3,406.