First Modern Vaccine Distributed in SoCal as California Approaches 2M COVID-19 Cases

LONG BEACH, California (KABC) – California is fast approaching a disturbing stage, probably just days away from reporting 2 million cases of coronavirus.

With the increase in the number of cases, there is an increase in hospitalizations, and many medical facilities in Southern California say they are at full capacity. Los Angeles County, for the first time, reports more than 6,000 people hospitalized for COVID-19.

However, hope is on the horizon, as the region has now started receiving the Moderna vaccine, in addition to the Pfizer vaccine which began to be distributed earlier this month.

Hospitalizations have risen so sharply that health care providers are once again calling on Californians to take precautions against the virus, especially in the coming holidays.

“Today we are over 100% of our regular patient volume,” said Greg Adams, president and CEO of Kaiser Permanente. And of this volume, 52% of our inpatients are patients diagnosed with COVID.

Adams added that 16 of Kaiser’s 36 hospitals occupy more than 100% of their intensive care units.

Other health workers talk about how thin their spaces are, especially because of the Thanksgiving gatherings that helped spread the virus. They beg the public not to “share the air.”

“Absolutely nothing could have prepared us for what we have experienced in recent months,” said Cecilia Fleming, nurse manager at Kaiser. COVID positive patients present to our emergency departments very acutely ill and must be admitted to our ICU in record numbers.

They urged people to be creative with the upcoming holidays, finding ways to celebrate that do not violate COVID-19 protocols.

“If we do our part now, there will be more of us available and alive to share the holidays next year,” said Vanessa Walker, a Sutter Health official. “So please help us so that we can continue to provide care to everyone who walks through our doors.”

While officials urge the public not to gather with others outside their households during the holidays, they acknowledge that many people are likely to gather. Those who do are encouraged to follow a few guidelines:

He’s wearing a mask

Keep your distance from others while keeping doors and windows open for adequate airflow

Keep it short to minimize the risk of transmission

The Long Beach Veterans Administration facility began distributing the Moderna vaccine Monday, giving the first blow to a medical worker and veteran.

The facility is a 113 VA center across the country that receives a limited amount of Modern photos. This is because the city of Long Beach has reported 14 additional deaths caused by the virus, the city’s largest daily number since the beginning of the pandemic.