'We Are In Race' To Vaccinate Riverside County Residents

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A big challenge now confronting Riverside County health officials in the fight against COVID-19 is ensuring that people who are eligible to get vaccinated do so, especially as state restrictions ease.

"We are in a race" to vaccinate as many people as possible, Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung said during a Friday news briefing.

Last week, more Riverside County businesses/sectors reopened — a trend that's expected to continue in coming weeks. As more people mix, however, the chance of coronavirus spread increases — and so does the likelihood of new virus mutations and variants.

"The worry is that if we go down that path, we could eventually have a virus that is less susceptible to the vaccine," Leung said.

Herd immunity requires at least 70 percent of the population be immunized against the virus, Leung said. Just 15.3 percent of county residents ages 16 and older have been fully vaccinated, according to data Friday from Riverside University Health System.

"Across America ..., COVID-19 has become a leading cause of death," Leung said. Mass vaccination would change that. An individual's decision to receive the vaccine could influence others to follow suit, according to Leung.

"When one person gets the vaccine, it actually increases the likelihood that those people in their immediate social circle, as well as their secondary circle, will also be vaccinated," he said.

RUHS reported Friday that 924,974 vaccine doses had been administered to county residents, but hundreds of vaccination appointments across the region remained available.

Anyone 16 or older who accompanies an eligible family member to a vaccination appointment may also get the vaccine. Eligibility guidelines have also expanded to include many more workers, anyone 65 or older, and people with health conditions and/or disabilities. (See the eligibility list here.)

Additionally, beginning April 1, people 50 and older may receive the vaccine; starting April 15, the age eligibility expands to residents 16 and older.

The goal is to get the vaccine into arms four to seven days after it's received in the county, Leung said.

The doctor issued a plea.

"If you have a loved one, a family member, a friend, a colleague, who you know currently qualifies under one of the qualifying categories but who hasn't received the vaccine, we would encourage you to make every effort to convince those people to do that," he said.

The portal to make an appointment for vaccination at county-run and other sites can be accessed via www.rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine. Anyone who needs assistance may also call the county's 211 helpline.

Updated COVID-19 figures for Riverside County

The number of coronavirus patients in Riverside County hospitals dipped again Friday, though the number in intensive care units rose slightly, according to health officials, who also reported 34 newly logged virus-related deaths.

According to RUHS, COVID-positive patients in hospitals countywide numbered 136 on Friday, down seven from Thursday. That figure includes 33 ICU patients, one more than the day before.

The total number of COVID-19 cases recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 is 293,831, up 124 from Thursday.

RUHS officials said a total of 4,248 deaths from virus-related complications have been recorded in the last 12 months. The fatalities are trailing indicators because of delays processing death certificates.