So far, San Joaquin Valley residents have received nearly 200,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine—a sum that may sound high, but falls far short of the average per capita rate reported elsewhere in California. Plus, for the second week in a row, a low vaccine supply has kept many of the Valley’s mass vaccination clinics either open far below capacity, or closed entirely to people seeking to receive their first dose.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration has ostensibly opened up the vaccine to anyone over age 65. However, not every county has officially begun enrolling that age group, and even where they have, a litany of obstacles still stands in the way between many people and the doses they’re eligible for—particularly among elderly, non-English-speaking and rural communities.
In brighter news, the surge that began after Thanksgiving appears to be subsiding: Daily reports of new infections are roughly half of what they were three weeks ago, and patient loads at hospitals and ICUs are steadily declining.
In this week’s COVID-19 update, we explore the latest regional data and hear from three women who have had mixed experiences trying to access the vaccine: Los Banos promotora Armanda Ruiz, who’s been unable to sign up online despite being eligible; Lanare community advocate Isabel Solorio, who’s struggling to bring the vaccine to her underserved community; and Fresno retiree Amy Roberts, who successfully received her first dose but only after a significant investment of time and energy.
Meanwhile, here’s a snapshot for Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, and Tulare Counties (note that some numbers may have changed between the interview and publication):
As of Feb. 4:
- 3,217 total deaths out of 294,348 total cases
- 1,006 people hospitalized and 189 in ICUs
- 200 deaths reported in the last week
- 1,432 average cases reported daily in last week
As of 1 week previous, Jan. 28:
- 3,017 total deaths out of 284,224 total cases
- 1,192 people hospitalized and 258 in ICUs
- 250 deaths reported in the last week*
- 1,642 average cases reported daily in last week
- *this includes a backlog from December in Kings County that was only added to the data dashboard this week
As of 4 weeks previous, Jan. 7:
- 2,767 total deaths out of 272,727 total cases
- 1,371 people hospitalized and 258 in ICUs
- 284 deaths reported in the last week*
- 2,434 average cases reported daily in last week
- *this includes a backlog from December in Kings County that was only added to the data dashboard this week
You can always find up-to-date information for your county here.
