Monterey County continues to miss key number to move to less restrictive tier

SALINAS – The yellow tier remains elusive for Monterey County as its adjusted case rate remains in the orange tier, but the positive test rate and equity index have fared better, remaining in the lower tier since last week.

“The state continues to issue weekly updates on the metrics for each county including Monterey County and our test positivity rate overall falls into the yellow tier (at 1%), the positivity rate for healthy place index quartile one also is in the yellow tier at 1.3,” said Dr. Edward Moreno, Monterey County Health Officer, at the Wednesday COVID-19 media briefing. “However, the adjusted case rate is still above 2 (at 2.2).”

Monterey County has been in the orange tier, allowing some indoor business operations open with modifications, for more than three weeks. It has met the criteria of holding its place in the orange tier for three weeks but it must meet the yellow tier’s criteria of all three metrics reaching the yellow tier for two consecutive weeks before it can move into that less-restrictive tier.

“We have to get more people vaccinated,” said Moreno. “We have to do what we can when we’re out in public so we don’t expose ourselves to COVID-19 in order to get the case rate down below 2.”

Visit the Monterey County COVID-19 vaccination registration page at https://bit.ly/3xr7JfC for available clinics.

The Community Foundation for Monterey County has partnered with the city of Gonzales and Gonzales Pharmacy to host vaccination events that began Wednesday and continue Thursday from 2 to 6:30 p.m. at 116 S. Belden St. in Gonzales. These are part of the Virus Integrated Distribution Aid Community Health Worker Program to expand access to COVID-19 resources,

The shots being administered this week at both of those events will be second-dose Pfizer inoculations for 1,170 people.

With people not showing up for  their second-dose shots at other clinics, organizers said that phone calls have been made, and social media posts have been created to let people know that their second-dose is up. If there are no-shows, the plan is make additional calls to bring people into the second clinic or get to the Gonzales Pharmacy for the second dose.

The VIDA program is supporting and partnering with Gonzales Pharmacy in administering vaccinations. Call VIDA community health workers at 831-290-0044 or 831-272-2324.

Community health workers are reaching out to residents, sharing information in English, Spanish, and Indigenous languages to educate residents about COVID-19 resources, secure testing and vaccination appointments, and connect people to resources such as food, housing and financial assistance.

Antibody study

At Wednesday’s briefing, Moreno also discussed Monterey County’s involvement in a study by the California Department of Public Health and Stanford University called CalScope, intended to estimate how many Californians have developed antibodies to COVID-19.

“There will be three waves and they want to learn about COVID-19 antibody prevalence by different demographics like age, race, ethnicity, and by region,” said Moreno.

Several counties are involved and include Alameda, El Dorado, Kern, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Diego and Shasta counties. The state has sent out about 15,000 invitations to Monterey County residents chosen at random since April 20.

Up to one adult and one child per household can complete a survey and then, upon request, receive a home blood collection kit. With a pin prick to the finger, a blood sample can be submitted that will be used to determine the presence of antibodies to COVID-19.

“The folks that are conducting this will not be asking for personally identifiable information such as the participant’s names or dates of birth,” said Moreno.

Participants who submit a survey and a specimen can expect to have their antibody test results sent to them within three to four weeks. They will also receive a $20 stipend for each survey submitted and each test kit specimen sent in. A household with one adult and one child fully participating can receive up to $80.

“I really encourage people who receive the invitation to respond to the survey and submit the specimens,” said Moreno. “I think it would definitely provide Monterey County and the state important information about the proportion of Californians that have immunity to COVID-19.”