Fresno County to Receive 7,800 COVID-19 Vaccines in First Doses Dispatch

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) – As the possibility of a three-week stay-at-home order looms for the Central Valley, Fresno County health officials have provided an update on where the county is regarding the capacity of the hospital and when they will receive vaccines.

The health department said Fresno County will receive 7,800 initial doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as early as mid-December.

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Chief Scientific Advisor to Operation Warp Speed ​​in the United States, Moncef Slaoui, said earlier this week he expected FDA approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine by December 10. .

It appears that Fresno State and County are also hoping for approval by then.

California will have a vaccine review committee before they are distributed statewide. Local health officials said they expected to receive the vaccine within days of the state’s green light.

Fresno County health officials said those initial doses would be distributed to hospital staff with the highest risk, including doctors, nurses and support staff.

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines should be given in two doses over a period of a few weeks. Local health officials said the state held the required second doses for this first group when needed.

The ministry said it expects another vaccine shipment by the end of December, which could provide an additional 40,000 doses.

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As for the county’s hospital capacity, health officials said many were filling up and rates for intensive care were nearing full.

EMS teams are also seeing an increase in calls and the department has urged people not to call an ambulance unless the situation is dire. Instead, people should contact their health care providers or go to an emergency care facility.

Health officials have said the best way to help relieve stress from the hospital system is through community-based prevention and said residents should stop “inessentially mixing,” continue to outrun society and wear masks.

This is a developing story.