NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. February 11, 2021 – Ryan Gruver, Health & Human Services Director, Dr. Scott Kellerman, Public Health Officer for Nevada County and Dr. Alinea Stevens, Medical Director for Chapa-De Indian Health, joined us for the weekly status update.

As of this week 12,318 doses of vaccine have been administered to Nevada County residents. This includes both first and second doses. In accordance with state guidelines, Nevada County started by vaccinating healthcare providers and people aged 75 and over.

Last Friday, new state guidelines changed the parameters. Phase 1A and Phase 1B are now eligible to be vaccinated.

Dr. Stevens reported that Chapa De has limited doses available for their patients and, like all other providers, is prioritizing the most vulnerable populations with a focus on equity. “Right now, we are able to vaccinate Chapa-De only patients, 65 and up and our American Indian patients 18-64 with certain medical conditions. If you want to check if you are eligible, you can go to our website. We update that as soon as there is new information. However, it is only for Chapa-De patients, because that’s the number [of patients] we have given the federal government, and that’s what the number of doses are based on. Unfortunately, even though we’d like to immunize everyone, we just don’t have the doses. “

Ryan Gruver talked about the importance of signing up through the state’s MyTurn.ca.gov website. Once doses arrive in Nevada County, Public Health can notify qualifying people of the availability and you can then sign up for appointments. Nevada County is in the process of beta testing the interaction between the site and their system with very limited appointments being made available.

“We need to test it to work out the kinks, and there were some kinks with the limited number of appointments we put on there. We’re very glad that we did that. We’re hopeful that as early as next week we’ll be able to robustly use that for pushing out appointments,” Gruver said. “Right now what’s happing, we put out vaccines to various providers, pharmacies and primary care physicians and then they’re reaching out to people that are on their patient list.”

Dr. Kellerman reminded everyone that 30% of Nevada County’s population is over 65, “so we got a heavy lift, compared to Sacramento which is 14% and LA County is 13%.” Talking about Tahoe Forest Hospital, Kellermann said, “they have access to a hangar. They could do a drive-trough and probably immunize 500-1,000 people a day [if the doses were available.]” He also confirmed that if you got the first dose of the vaccine, your second dose is reserved and will be available after the requisite interval.

Several pharmacies and healthcare systems are offering vaccine appointments, Public health officials encourage you to check online if one of your providers has vaccine availability for you. In case you get your immunization, please cancel your signup on all other lists.

YouTube video

These are the latest tier updates for Nevada County:

Phase 1A: Now Vaccinating

Healthcare Workers

If you are a healthcare worker and have not been contacted for a vaccine, submit your information via the county’s Phase 1A online form.

  • Front-line hospital staff
  • Nursing facilities, assisted living facilities
  • Long-term care settings
  • Residential mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities
  • Paramedics, EMTs, and others providing emergency medical services
  • Dialysis centers
  • Respiratory care center staff
  • Midwives
  • Ambulatory surgical center staff
  • Specialty clinics
  • Laboratory workers
  • Dental and other oral health clinics
  • Mortuary, cemetery district, and coroner staff
  • Home health care and In-Home Supportive Services providers
  • Community health workers and public health field staff, including promotoras
  • Primary care clinics, including federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, correctional facility clinics, and urgent care clinics
  • Non-residential mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities
  • Adult day/health programs and pediatric day health/respite care staff
  • Formal and informal caregivers for people with disabilities and for the elderly
  • Physical therapists, occupational therapists
  • Pharmacy staff
  • Alternative medical practitioners
  • Cannabis industry employees for medicinal cannabis

Phase 1B: Vaccinating as Supplies Allow

Individuals 65 and older 

Nevada County is currently focusing on vaccination of people 65+ in 1B countywide. 

We are focusing on older adults because they are at much higher risk for serious illness and death due to COVID. In addition, in light of new variants identified in California, vaccinating as many 65+ as possible, as quickly as possible, is even more important.

Currently limited eligibility in Nevada County for 65+ via direct outreach from vaccine partners to their 65+ patients and via appointments released on MyTurn.ca.gov. Please do not reach out directly to your healthcare provider. If they are a vaccine partner and have sufficient vaccine, they will contact their patients directly.

Education & Childcare

  • K-12 educators (this is the only group in this sector currently eligible in Nevada County due to limited supply)
  • All formal and informal childcare workers, including day care providers
  • All staff in colleges, universities, junior colleges, community colleges, and other postsecondary education facilities
  • All staff in educational support services and administration
  • All staff in pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools
  • All staff in technical and trade schools
  • Any other workers involved in child and/or student care, including school bus drivers and monitors, crosswalk guards, etc.

Emergency Services

Limited access to vaccine for some sectors within Emergency Services.

  • Public, private, and voluntary personnel (front line and management) in:
    • Emergency management personnel
    • Law enforcement
    • Fire services (currently eligible in Nevada County) 
    • Rescue services
    • Emergency medical services (currently eligible in Nevada County) 
    • Corrections (currently eligible in Nevada County)
    • Rehabilitation and reentry
    • Search and rescue
    • Hazardous material response
    • Technicians supporting maritime and aviation emergency response
  • Public Safety Answering Points and 911 call center employees
  • Personnel involved in access to emergency services including the emergency alert system and wireless emergency alerts
  • Fusion Center employees
  • Workers who support weather disaster/natural hazard monitoring, response, mitigation, and prevention
  • Workers – including contracted vendors — who maintain, manufacture, or supply equipment and services supporting law enforcement, fire, EMS, and and emergency service response operations
  • Workers responding to abuse and neglect of children, elders and dependent adults. 
  • Animal control officers and humane officers
  • Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures
  • Workers and contracted vendors who maintain and provide services and supplies to public safety facilities

Food & Agriculture

Food and Ag is not currently eligible in Nevada County, due to limited supply of vaccine

  • Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies, convenience stores
  • Workers supporting restaurant carry-out and quick serve food operations
  • Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees 
  • Farmers, farm and ranch workers, and agribusiness support services
  • Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution 
  • Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operations
  • Workers supporting the growth and distribution of plants and associated products for home gardens.
  • Workers in cafeterias used to feed workers, particularly worker populations sheltered against COVID-19
  • Workers in animal diagnostic and food testing laboratories 
  • Workers essential for assistance programs and government payments
  • Workers essential for food assistance programs and government payments.
  • Employees of companies engaged in the production, storage, transport, and distribution of chemicals; medicines, including cannabis; vaccines; and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry
  • Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health
  • Transportation supporting animal agricultural industries
  • Workers who support sawmills and the manufacture and distribution of fiber and forest products
  • Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and distribution
  • Workers at animal care facilities that provide food, shelter, veterinary and/or routine care and other necessities of life for animals.

Please note: All populations in Phase 1B are now equally prioritized. [source: Nevada County]

Our next webinar will be held on Thursday, February 18 at noon. You can register here (one-time registration signs you up for the whole series) or check our YouTube Channel for the latest videos.