Public Safety Committee to Get Update on COVID-19 Vaccines

The city’s health director will present an update on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The presentation marks a change in city pandemic updates, which had been conducted at the council’s Monday meetings. Now those updates will be made to the council’s Public Safety Committee.

Last Wednesday, the state authorized immediate access to COVID-19 vaccines for residents 65 and older following new guidance from the federal government, but Los Angeles County will continue to prioritize healthcare workers before making doses available to others.

“There is no higher priority than efficiently and equitably distributing these vaccines as quickly as possible to those who face the gravest consequences,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement announcing the change in state guidance. 

“Individuals 65 and older are now the next group eligible to start receiving vaccines,” Newsom said. “To those not yet eligible for vaccines, your turn is coming. We are doing everything we can to bring more vaccines into the state.”

Pasadena officials said the city will follow the state protocol.

However, on Friday CNN reported that there is no reserve of second doses of vaccines left to release, despite assertions by the Trump administration that there was a stockpile.

Johnson & Johnson could apply for emergency authorization of its one-shot vaccine before the end of January.

Since the pandemic began, Pasadena has reported 9,141 cases and 191 deaths.

“We will be holding two pods [points of dispensing] this week,” Derderiam said.

According to Derderian, the city will continue with tier 1A and open to people 75 and older. The PODS will be for Pasadena residents only, and proof of residency will be required for the seniors.

“We did allocate vaccines to doctors offices, but only 600, so some will receive doses next week if they were in the state approved system. Vons is vaccinating and Ralph’s will start soon. All the above means of vaccination require appointments, no walk ups,” Derderian said. 

On Saturday, Los Angeles County became the first county in the nation to list 1 million coronavirus cases. 

Huntington Hospital is currently treating 192 patients battling the virus, 44 of those patients are in the hospitals intensive care unit.

“We cannot currently provide vaccines to the public,” the hospital posted on its website. “Please do not call requesting the vaccine.”

At last Monday’s City Council meeting, city Health Director Dr. Ying-Ying Goh said all residents and staff in the city’s long-term healthcare facilities had a chance to take the vaccine.

But, Goh said, “The healthcare system is being stretched to dangerous extremes.”

Healthcare providers have had the opportunity to sign up online to distribute the vaccine. However, getting vaccines in their hands is contingent upon the city receiving its allotments.

“There have been delays receiving the allotments and by CVS who committed to specific dates to vaccinate in long-term care facilities and then canceled at the last minute so PPHD [Pasadena Public Health Department] had to supplement in several cases,” city Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian said last week.

So far, healthcare workers, seniors living in assisted living facilities, and some frontline workers have received the vaccine.

About 70 percent of the city’s firefighters have taken the vaccine, which is optional.

The city is currently engaged in Tier 1A of the vaccine distribution which includes healthcare workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. 

Tier 1B includes education and child care workers, and those who work in emergency services and food and agriculture.