RESIDENTS 12-PLUS VACCINATED AT WHS
With the approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for those 12plus, youth in Yolo County were given the opportunity to be vaccinated Friday at both Woodland and Pioneer High School.
The California Department of Health approved the Pfizer vaccine for use on those 12-plus starting Thursday, just one day after the Centers for Disease Control and the Western States Safety Review Group approved the vaccine for this age group.
“Once the state opened it up to 12-plus, we opened it up as well,” said the lead school nurse for Woodland Joint Unified School District, Jennifer Sheehan, who was on site. “As you can see, our turnout is amazing.”
The line of youth, along with some older community members, waited for the vaccine in a line that stretched out from the cafeteria into the border of the teacher parking lot and wrapped around the new gym adjacent to the Charles Brooks Community Pool. The wait time ranged from one to two hours.
The Pfizer vaccine had previously only been approved for those who are 16-plus. The Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are only approved for those 18-plus. Johnson & Johnson is planning on conducting clinical trials for younger people, and Moderna is expected to submit data for their trials in the coming months.
At Woodland High,129 students received their second dose after getting their first doses back on April 23.
On April 23, 119 Pioneer and 129 Woodland High students received their first doses. On Friday, those 129 returned for their second dose, but the main lines were from the community, mostly youth, who wanted to get the first dose.
Second doses will be administered on June 4, starting at noon and once again at Woodland High School.
“I just think this is huge,” Sheehan said. “It is just overwhelming in the best way to see the turnout today. This is exactly what we want for our community and our kids. To know that they are healthy and safe and able to return to school with all the safety in place. We thank the Yolo County Health Department.”
Debbie Lawrence, a mother of two eighth-grade WJUSD students receiving their first dose, was on hand to help.
“It is very important that they are here,” Lawrence said. “I want to make sure that they are protected and are helping protect the general community just by being vaccinated.”
Any community members in line who wanted a vaccine were eligible. Anyone who received the vaccine then waited in the gym for a 15-minute observation period.
“The more Californians who are able to get vaccinated, the better we can protect our communities and slow the spread of COVID-19,” stated Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Our efforts to protect the health and wellbeing of Californians are paying off, as we’re now leading the country with over 32 million vaccines administered and some of the lowest positivity rates in the entire country. Having vaccines expanded to teenagers is the next step in California’s path to safely reopening next month.”
In order for those under 18 to get vaccinated, parental authorization is required. Yolo County requires parents to either be present at the clinic or fill out a consent form at bit. ly/minorform1 for English and bit.ly/minorform2 for Spanish. Consent by phone is also permissible.
In addition to the clinic at Woodland High School, Harper Junior High in Davis had also scheduled a clinic on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and another Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m.
As of Thursday, state dashboards show over 52% of Yolo County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 39% are fully vaccinated.
Despite changes from the CDC that say vaccinated people can stop masking in most circumstances, vaccinated residents of Yolo County will still need to continue wearing masks in most situations, according to a statement from Yolo County Public Information Officer Jenny Tan. The county follows guidelines from the CDPH, which has not yet updated its masking guidance.
“The current CDPH guidance requires that vaccinated individuals wear a mask indoors and when attending crowded outdoor events or other similar settings,” the statement explained. “In addition, unvaccinated individuals are required to wear a face covering outdoors any time physical distancing cannot be maintained, as well as indoors. There are a few exceptions for those who are vaccinated when visiting indoors with others who are fully vaccinated or low-risk individuals.”
COVID-19 cases have been slightly increasing within Yolo County. The adjusted case rate increased from 2.7 cases per 100,000 residents last week to 3.3 cases per 100,000 residents on Tuesday. Since cases have not decreased, the county will not be able to move into the yellow tier until at least May 26.
On Thursday, the county reported 14 additional cases of the virus bringing the grand total to 13,846 cases of the virus. Zero new deaths were reported, leaving the total amount of deaths recorded at 208. Four cases were recorded in Woodland on Thursday, bringing the total amount of cases in the city to 5,795. Since last year, 108 Woodland residents have died of the virus.