Increasing Vaccine Questions and Answers by Humboldt County Vaccine Task Force Member Lindsey Mendes | Lost Coast Outpost

Questions about vaccines increased, and Lindsey Mendez, a member of the county’s Vaccine Task Force, increased the answers about vaccines. Actions: State equity efforts and how they are implemented, Pfizer / Modana vs. J & J, and future contracts with Blue Shield, which acts as a state-wide vaccine administrator.

Video above, rough transcript below.

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Thank you for participating in the media availability on March 11th with Family Nurse Practitioner and Lindsey Mendes, a member of the Humboldt County Vaccine Task Force. Lindsey wants to start with a brief message about the Janssen or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Hello Humboldt County. Again Lindsey Mendes, a family nurse practitioner for public health infectious diseases. Today I’m going to talk about vaccines, but I’d like to share with you a little bit about what the public health sector is currently doing with Janssen vaccines. At this time, the community finds that a single dose of Janssen vaccine can be very helpful when looking at rural people who have problems admission to the clinic or who are experiencing homelessness in shelters. I would like you to understand. We are currently partnering with other healthcare providers in the region to launch these vaccines this week and next week. I’m very excited.

From North Coast News: Health officials said earlier this week that some zip codes that fall into the lowest percentage of the CA’s Healthy Places Index are in Humboldt and are prioritized by the state regarding vaccine allocation. Where are these zip codes? How does this affect weekly vaccine allocations from the state?

Okay. At this time, states are looking at ways to use assignment tools to ensure better fairness in the area of ​​a particular zip code. This fairness mapping recommends using 20% ​​of the dose in certain areas of Humboldt County. That said, the area is very large. The area around the county is already in most vaccinated areas. We are trying to get more into the southern and eastern regions of Humboldt, but the overall zip code includes Eureka, Arcata, and parts of SoHum such as Petrolea and Brocksburg, and northern regions such as Klamath. I will. So, like our clinic, we will work on it.

From North Coast News: A new Israeli study shows that Pfizer seems to be more effective than originally thought. Is this the case for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson? How did J & J get the level of effectiveness in one shot?

It is a one-shot vaccine in that it is constructed over time by the method of making a Janssen vaccine using the DNA vaccine, which is an adenovirus vector vaccine, and the method of introducing a spike protein into the body. You don’t have to have a booster dose. And say it again. Johnson & Johnson is a little different from the mRNA vaccine, but it reduces serious deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 by 100%. Since Pfizer vaccines and Israeli studies are being conducted, they are studying infections, so what they are actually talking to with Pfizer is the cases between those who are fully vaccinated and those who are not. It means that they are reporting a method of comparison. I was vaccinated and investigated how effective it was in preventing COVID-19 infection. This study showed 90% at the time. Therefore, it is important to understand that investigations in Moderna and Janssen are still underway. More information will be available in the future.

From North Coast News: Alaska is now the first state to open vaccine eligibility until the age of 16. Do you think the criteria for taking shots will change soon in California? How big is it to extend your qualifications to a younger age?

At this point, Alaska is growing, and we understand that California is growing on April 1st, considering who can be vaccinated at what stage. That said, we need to remind the public that the Pfizer vaccine can be given to 16-year-old children, but at this time other vaccines such as Moderna and Janssen have not been approved. That said, we are looking at risk factors and ages as people are waiting to be vaccinated in California, even if it is open to a wider range of ages and professions. Reminds the public.

From the North Coast Journal: The county has more clarity from Blueshield or the state on how vaccine allocation and distribution could change after Blueshield becomes a third-party administrator next month. Did you receive it?

The Public Health Department is currently in a meeting with Blue Shield to discuss allocation managers and account managers who will assist in the allocation process in Humboldt County for local providers of vaccines. The allocation process is done via Blue Shield to each vaccinated provider in Humboldt County. Specifically, we will inoculate the COVID-19 vaccine in Humboldt County. We also have a contract with Blue Shield in the public health sector. Being able to distribute vaccines through them. That said, we don’t know exactly how to break down the allocation process with local health jurisdictions and providers. You’ll find out more in the coming weeks.

From the North Coast Journal: How is the state focusing on immunization of at least a quarter of the Healthy Places Index zip code inhabitants changing its Humboldt County immunization strategy? How is the county working to identify and prioritize residents of these zip codes that are vaccinated?

This is a great question, and fortunately we have been working on these equity plans since the start of the Vaccination Task Force when the COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Humboldt County. Therefore, for the past few months, we have opened clinics in the area to ensure fairness. We have provided vaccines to Willow Creek, Garberville, and Redway clinics. We do a lot of buxing in Arcata and Eureka to ensure we can reach a population that is not normally available. We are anxious to expand our clinics to the southern and eastern regions, and even to the northern regions, to attract people who may have transportation problems. That’s why we look forward to partnering with Blue Shield to see how performance fairness measurements can take place.

From the North Coast Journal: Public health reported this week that a quarter of currently eligible people are now fully vaccinated locally. At the same time, the county announced a new class of qualified people over the age of 65. Food and agriculture workers, and people with comorbidities, are expected to qualify in the coming weeks. Are there logistic and impartial concerns regarding immunization of so many people when supply is very limited? If so, what are they and how is the county working to navigate those challenges?

This is a very important topic that we discuss daily with the Immunization Commission. Since our goal is to have herd immunity and end the pandemic, it is very likely that some of our populations are the most vulnerable when opening up a vaccinated population. I am aware of it. The most vulnerable, we must pay attention to it as a public health department and be a good administrator of our vaccines. We are also actively working on vaccinations for people who cannot get out of the house or who are homeless, and we are also looking for the best way to vaccinate people who work in agriculture or factories. So this is what keeps us in a lively conversation.

From the North Coast Journal: If the county magically receives enough vaccine doses to vaccinate all adult residents of Humboldt County tomorrow, the public on how long it will take to weaponize all these shots. What is the best estimate of hygiene? What is the current maximum daily vaccination capacity for the county?

Due to the large number of healthcare providers who can help with vaccinations in various locations, from pharmacies to hospitals, it is currently very difficult to know exactly the maximum amount of vaccinations per day. We have seen that when conducting large vaccination clinics around the county, whether it is in the public health sector or other providers, our maximum capacity is currently large vaccines. The clinic that I noticed is over 1000. That said, other people are usually vaccinated on a small scale in other areas.

From KMUD: Can you talk about the different efficacy rates of all three approved vaccines?

Okay. At this time, the CDC shows that Pfizer vaccines are 95% effective, Moderna is 94% effective, and Janssen is 67% effective.

From KMUD: What is currently being done to ensure that our Latino community is vaccinated?

The Humboldt County Public Health Department considers the Latin community to be a top priority at this time. As I said last week, we can speak Spanish, be an interpreter, and be the vaccinator or manager or other staff needed to run the vaccination clinic of ours. We are actively recruiting people to work in the clinic. We want to reassure the community that public health is currently holding many meetings with local stakeholders to ensure equal immunization of all in Humboldt County.

From KMUD: Who is the preferred recipient of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine?

The CDC recommends optimal use of single-dose vaccines, so at this time there are transportation problems, no doctor’s consultation, or working in certain facilities such as agricultural centers or factories. Man.

From Red Headed Blackbelt: Get the latest information on how vaccinations are distributed, with reference to the local surveys that many have returned. Will the study help coordinate vaccine appointments?

exactly. From the information I received from the Joint Information Center, the completed interest forms and surveys have helped them fill the clinic and put people on the waiting list. It also helps bridge the gap between those who may not have the device and need scheduling assistance. The Joint Information Center will inform you that you can always visit the website to find the form of interest in both English and Spanish on humboldtgov.org and call you if you encounter any problems. ..

From Red Headed Blackbelt: Is the Public Health Department receiving feedback from community members in connection with the recently announced closure of the Redwood Memorial delivery unit?

Thanks to Kym, no, it’s not a vaccine question and I can’t answer today.