Health experts nationwide say adults 50 years and older and compromised immune individuals should get a second booster shot. Meanwhile, Fresno County interim health officer Dr. Rais Vohra in a Zoom briefing last week said there is an abundance of vaccines and boosters available for those who haven't received...
Should COVID Vaccine Be Required for Students, School Staff? 2 Clovis Trustees Say No.
Two Clovis Unified School District trustees are among dozens statewide calling for the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to reconsider the proposed COVID-19 vaccine mandate for school students and staff, saying it's time for school districts to regain local control and not be ruled by state mandates. Meanwhile, the...
Demand Strong for 5-11 COVID Vaccine: Local Officials
Local hospitals and clinics are vaccinating children ages 5-11 following the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 for children in that age group. Among the first recipients: Norah Kerr, a 9-year-old Valley Children's Hospital patient. She wasn't nervous about the shot and advises other children to stay calm. "It’s easy as...
Fresno County Isn’t Done With COVID. Get Ready for Another Winter Surge.
Fresno County health officials warn of a rise in COVID -19 cases and other respiratory viruses, including influenza and RSV, that could heavily impact local hospitals. The number of hospitalized COVID patients and deaths in Fresno County has plateaued. However, health officials say that the numbers aren't declining fast enough...
Free Treats, Prizes, Vaccines at Trunk or Treat Today in Mendota
The Alliance for Medical Outreach & Relief is partnering with Centro La Familia and other local groups to host Trunk or Treat today in Mendota. The event at the AMOR Wellness Center is 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. There will be a variety of entertainment options, as well as free candy...
Alarming Myths Discourage Valley Farmworkers From Getting COVID Vaccines
After much reluctance to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the farmworker community is running out of options to say "no." An estimated 35% of Central Valley farmworkers say they do not want to get vaccinated, and much of their hesitancy stems from misinformation they see on social media and in the...
Poll: Most in US Who Remain Unvaccinated Need Convincing
Fewer Americans are reluctant to get a COVID-19 vaccine than just a few months ago, but questions about side effects and how the shots were tested still hold some back, according to a new poll that highlights the challenges at a pivotal moment in the U.S. vaccination campaign. Just 11%...
US to Resume J&J COVID Vaccinations Despite Rare Clot Risk
U.S. health officials lifted an 11-day pause on COVID-19 vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot on Friday, after scientific advisers decided its benefits outweigh a rare risk of blood clot. The government uncovered 15 vaccine recipients who developed a highly unusual kind of blood clot, out of nearly 8...
Barbers, Artists Help Defy Vaccine Myths for People of Color
SAN DIEGO — In a Washington, D.C., suburb, Black and Latino barbers are busting myths about the coronavirus vaccine while clipping hair. Across the country, a university researcher in Phoenix teamed up with a company behind comic books fighting Islamic extremism to produce dance-inducing animated stories in Spanish that aim...
Fresno County Ships Out 70% of COVID-19 Vaccines Due to Lack of Interest
The lull Fresno County Health officials spoke of about a week ago has now turned into a scramble to find ways to entice people into getting a COVID-19 vaccine. The Fresno County Department of Public Health re-allocated 70% of the 43,000 doses it received last week to other counties. The...