First Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Injections Due Today 12-16-20 02:03 DC

The first shipment of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine arrived on the Central Coast Tuesday morning. Officials expect nearly 2,000 doses will today be administered to front-line health workers in Santa Cruz County.

Santa Cruz County is the first county on the Central Coast to receive their vaccine shipment.

Dominican Hospital will receive 1,300 doses of the 1,950 Pfizer vaccinations and plans to administer the drug Wednesday.

Watsonville Community Hospital will receive 650 doses for its front line workers. The Watsonville hospital also has a plan for their first tier of front-line health workers who will receive doses today.

The vaccine arrives just as Santa Cruz County hits 100% ICU capacity and the Bay Area Region which Santa Cruz County is part of is at 15.8% which pushes the county even closer to a stay-at-home order.

The Santa Cruz County Health Department is also expecting a shipment of 2,800 Moderna vaccinations later in December.

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CA Might Resume Youth and Adult Sports Next Month 12-16-20 01:48 DC

California Department of Public Health officials say some activities for competitive youth and adult recreational sports programs may be able to resume by the end of January.

But that “may be” comes with a host of requirements and regulations capable of holding things up.

Should the state allow sports activities to continue, they would happen no earlier than January 25th. They would also be under the same tier system that counties have been subjected to in the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

You will find more information online.

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SCCO Gets Pfizer Flu Shot 12-16-20 01:32 DC

Local public health officers released a statement about the arrival and distribution of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine that started this week.

Many areas, including Santa Cruz County, received their first doses on Tuesday.

The first shorts are being given to doctors and healthcare workers who look after COVID-19 patients.

Local and federal health officials said they believe the vaccines are safe and effective and are a critical tool for fighting the pandemic.

The local officials still ask the public to wear face coverings, avoid gatherings and stay home whenever possible.

“In Santa Cruz County, we have all made sacrifices to slow the spread of the virus and adapt to a new normal,” said Dr. Gail Newel, Health Officer for the County of Santa Cruz. “The next steps in our pandemic response are widespread vaccinations and community recovery. The delivery of these safe and effective vaccines is a welcome step in that direction.”

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CA Sends Body Bags as Deaths Quadruple 12-16-20 01:16 DC

Governor Gavin Newsome says California is distributing 5,000 body bags mostly to the hard-hit Los Angeles and San Diego areas and has 60 refrigerated trailers standing by as makeshift morgues.

This, in anticipation of a surge of coronavirus deaths from hospitalizations that now are double the summertime peak and threaten to overwhelm the hospital system.

The number of average daily deaths has quadrupled from 41 a month ago to 163 now, while positive cases have surged to more than 32,500 each day. Of those new cases, an anticipated 12% will wind up in the hospital and 12% of those hospitalized will crowd already stretched intensive care units.

That means one day’s worth of cases can be expected to produce a staggering 3,900 hospitalizations and nearly 500 ICU patients.

Newsom says, “we are in the middle of the most acute peak.” The Governor is urging residents to take precautions to slow the spread.

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