Stanislaus County rolls out coronavirus vaccine, but distribution hits a snag

Jan. 9—Efforts to vaccinate priority groups against COVID-19 are proceeding in Stanislaus County, though some recipients report trouble getting their shots when promised.

In-home caregivers are among the recipients of the current phase of vaccine distribution; some private providers plan to start giving out the vaccines to older patients this week.

The county's vaccination clinic for in-home support care workers was closed for more than six hours Thursday. IHSS workers who were turned away said they were not given a plausible explanation.

"I think we have a problem," said Mandy Carranza of Turlock. "Their process is not transparent. I don't think they have a plan."

Carranza, a caregiver for her disabled sister, said the county invited IHSS workers Tuesday to make appointments with the county Health Services Agency for COVID-19 vaccinations at the Wednesday-to-Friday clinic.

After several texts and emails trying to get an appointment, Carranza said, she was notified Wednesday that appointments were not needed and people were invited to walk up.

Carranza said her mother, the primary caregiver for her sister, was vaccinated Thursday. But the county was turning people away when Carranza arrived around 11:40 a.m., she said. The county closed the clinic from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Carranza said a woman from Newman was in line. She was turned away even though she had an appointment and had arranged for someone to watch her son before driving 35 miles from Newman to the clinic on Scenic Drive in Modesto.

Carranza said vaccinations are important for IHSS workers, because they take care of family members or other clients whose disabilities or medical conditions make them vulnerable to COVID-19. "My sister cannot get COVID," she said. "She will not survive."

Friday, the county offered a vague explanation for the temporary clinic shutdown.

"We canceled appointments only yesterday to improve on some of our processes to ensure a more equitable administration of vaccines," Kamlesh Kaur, a county health educator, said in an email.

When asked for more details, Kaur wrote that Thursday was the second day of a county vaccine rollout. "We have diligently worked on processes internally and, until things are put in practice, there is no way to tell what works and what doesn't."

Kaur said improvements in the process now will ensure "we don't run into major hiccups once we get into more mass vaccination clinics."

The county's COVID-19 vaccination clinic for priority groups in Phase 1A, Tier 2 resumed Friday. An IHSS worker who received a vaccination asked about Thursday's shutdown and said she was given an explanation: Too many people arrived Thursday after a union email told workers they could line up for shots at the county clinic. The clinic was suspended because social distancing could not be maintained.

County public health is working on vaccinating more than 6,500 workers in the IHSS program, as well as employees for county Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and community health workers. Kaur didn't have a figure on the number of people to receive vaccinations at the three-day clinic.

Vaccination efforts to end or seriously weaken coronavirus outbreaks began with Phase 1A of a state-adopted plan, which includes high-risk hospital workers, nursing home patients and staff, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and dialysis centers.

A Stanislaus County website says the campaign has advanced to Phase 1A, Tier 2, including intermediate care facilities, community health workers, public health field staff and staff in primary care clinics. There are three phases, with tiers inside of them. It is not clear how fast the county will move through them to get to the general public.

The county receives allocations from the state of the two-step Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Kaur said.

First responders begin vaccination

Firefighters with Modesto Fire Department went to Doctors Medical Center to get their first-round of shots and will need a second dose by month's end. Health care systems like Sutter Health and Kaiser Permanente, with hospitals in multiple counties, are provided with vaccines directly from the state, while some hospitals are supplied by counties.

Modesto Fire Chief Alan Ernst said Friday he believed all of the firefighters had received the first-round vaccination. All are certified as EMTs.

Ernst said personnel from other local fire agencies were getting vaccinated at various sites.

Sutter Health sent a notice Friday saying a coronavirus vaccine rollout for some of its patients will begin next week, starting with those 75 years and older and healthcare workers. The Sutter notice said Phase 1B of the vaccine program is expected soon and that Sutter is following California Department of Public Health and federal guidelines in making vaccines available in priority tiers.

As things progress, Sutter patients will be able to make a vaccination appointment through an online portal or special phone number. The shots won't be provided at physician offices, but Sutter plans vaccination clinics after getting the greenlight from the state.

Phase 1B includes older seniors and people working in education, childcare, emergency services, food and agriculture. In the second tier of the phase are seniors age 64 to 74 and people who risk exposure by working in transportation, logistics, commercial and residential sectors, shelter services and critical manufacturing.

Vaccine for nursing home patients

On Thursday, CVS Health began to administer shots to more than 100 residents and 50 staff members at the nonprofit Casa De Modesto, which includes a nursing home and assisted living. CVS and Walgreens are administering vaccine at long-term care and assisted living centers through a federal program.

Nursing homes, which are in Phase 1A, Tier 1 for vaccine distribution, may limit vaccinations to 20 to 30 employees at a time because staff could miss work due to side effects such as a headache and fever.

Citing the coronavirus restrictions for long-term care facilities, Casa De Modesto residents who spoke to the media said they were ready for the shots.

"I feel very privileged to be offered the vaccine," Dorothy Hunter said. "It's the least we can do. If the scientists tell us it's a good idea, I will take it. It means I can go out with my family and my friends and play cards again maybe, so I am in favor."

Naomi Artz, 91, saw vaccinations as a way to rid the facility of COVID-19. "If anything I can do helps then I am willing to do that," Artz said. "I have lived my life but there are a lot of people who still haven't."

Casa De Modesto said previously that about 70 employees, out of a staff of 160, had signed up for the voluntary Pfizer vaccination, while some would wait and see how things go with co-workers getting the first shots.

Amanda Clausen, assistant executive director, said she was getting the vaccination to promote immunity and restore confidence at Casa De Modesto. She also wanted to protect her family.

"I think it's wonderful we are in the first tier of people to receive it," Clausen said. "It's going to be huge for our facility and residents. I am looking forward to our future."

The pandemic has not stopped an expansion at Case De Modesto on Eldena Way, where 30 additional independent living apartments are under construction.

Many nursing home employees have been infected during outbreaks at facilities, perhaps causing some to think they're now immune to the virus.

Jeannee Parker Martin, chief executive officer of LeadingAge California, an association representing retirement communities and skilled nursing facilities, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine regardless of whether people have contracted COVID-19.

She noted there are new flu vaccines for influenza each year to cover the different variants and the coronavirus may follow the same pattern.

Martin said the vaccination program needs to reach more than 1,200 nursing homes in California. In addition, there are 16,000 centers offering assisted living or other congregate living arrangements.

The Surgeon General has anticipated that vaccinations for nursing homes and health care workers will be completed by the end of March.

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