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This week’s news on the COVID-19 front looks good, potentially offering something for everyone in Orange County: County received record number of vaccine doses this week, new vaccination site to open for those who need an inoculation, and rules for some companies would loosen if OC were to go to a less restrictive level as planned.
An unexpected shipment of 44,000 doses arrived on Sunday, bringing the week’s total to 115,000, Lisa Bartlett, OC’s fifth district supervisor, said on Monday (March 29). This is the maximum the county has achieved in a single week so far.
“I hope this is definitely a sign of things to come,” Bartlett said. “The dosage we’re getting this week is almost triple our average weekly allowance, so that’s a significant increase for Orange County.”
Another positive sign is the county’s plan to open a mass vaccination site at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday. It will be the fourth large-scale site run by the county, along with Soka University at Aliso Viejo, Disneyland (now exclusively a drive-thru site) and the Anaheim Convention Center.
County spokeswoman Molly Nichelson said the fairground site will offer drive-through and walk-in lines, always by appointment only. Residents can register on the County Othena’s app or website and will be notified when it is their turn to make an appointment.
Although the county has yet to announce the site’s hours of operation, Nichelson and Bartlett said officials hope they can offer early morning and late night appointments at some sites to serve those who cannot. not be absent from work during normal activities. hours. It will depend on whether you regularly receive more shots than this week’s bonus.
The increase in supply will become even larger over the next two weeks, as the state expands eligibility to all people 50 and over starting April 1, and then lowers the age limit. at 16 on April 15.
Dr Jose Mayorga, who teaches family medicine at UC Irvine, said the Anaheim and Santa Ana clinics where he treats patients were just starting to receive 800 combined doses per week, double the amount that they were receiving.
“We heard the president (President Joe Biden) say he was shooting 200 million doses” administered across the country by May, Mayorga said. “On the ground, what we are seeing, we are absolutely seeing an increase in vaccine availability.”
While doctors who practice solo may not be set up to manage their patients’ immunizations, Mayorga said the expected increase in vaccine supply is expected to increase the number of clinics, pharmacies, pop-up sites. -up and other places where people can get vaccinated.
“People really appreciate the options and that’s what I think we’re going to start to see.”
More options are expected for businesses and customers starting Wednesday, if the county moves to the orange level of state restrictions as planned. Bartlett said officials are expected to hear from the state by Tuesday if OC’s parameters have stayed within the prescribed range long enough for the rules to be relaxed.
After the daily average number of new COVID-19 cases peaked at over 3,500 in early January, it fell last week to just over 100 cases, the lowest in nearly a year, according to data from the county. As of Sunday, only 145 people were hospitalized in CO with COVID-19, another low that has not been seen for months.
Once the county enters the orange level, bars that don’t serve meals can open up outdoor spaces; hotels can reopen indoor pools; museums, zoos, cinemas and religious centers can all increase visitor capacity to 50%; and shopping malls can return to full capacity, although food courts are not fully open. Outdoor live events and performances can also increase their attendance rate. All businesses should always follow guidelines for masks, social distancing, and sanitation.
Restaurateur and brewer Wil Dee, who is also president of the Orange County Brewers Guild, said the county’s beer makers were delighted to be able to accommodate a limited number of patrons in the indoor tasting rooms under Orange Level rules. .
They’ve been able to serve customers in outdoor spaces, but not everyone has a suitable location for that, and a patio isn’t always attractive in cold or rainy weather.
For Dee’s Chapman Crafted Brewery in Orange and others, he said, “The main source of revenue is directly to consumers (sales) in tasting rooms.”
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