Salinas Valley Health – COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

Salinas Valley Health has received one box of Pfizer supplies to support the vaccination process. The box containing needles, syringes, alcohol prep pads, etc. arrived shortly before 9am.

We expect our initial allotment of the Pfizer vaccine, 975 doses to arrive Thursday or Friday and will begin vaccinating our frontline health care workers immediately. Our COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force has established a staff vaccination process which establishes:

• Specific list of prioritized staff and physicians who provide direct patient care and related support within the medical center – this list includes such departments as COVID-19 Units; Labor & Delivery; Surgery; Respiratory Care; Rehab Services; Emergency Department; Social Workers; Interpreters; and others

• Location and staff to administer the vaccine in a large room accommodating a waiting area to allow for a 15 minute observation period after vaccination to confirm no adverse reaction

Quote from Pete Delgado, Salinas Valley Health President/CEO

“There is a level of excitement in our medical center as we anticipate the vaccine to arrive this week and will use it to vaccinate our frontline staff and physicians who provide direct patient care and are most at risk. This good news is tempered by the sobering fact that every day we are setting new records for the number of COVID-19 patients we are treating in our medical center.

While it is a long awaited milestone in this pandemic, the vaccine is not a quick fix for our staff or for the community we serve. Even when vaccine distribution is extended to the general public, we need to take our personal responsibilities during this crisis very seriously. It’s tragic to see unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths when we have the tools to beat this virus within reach. We urge everyone to do their part by masking, maintaining social distance and please, as difficult as it is, don’t gather this holiday with anyone outside of your immediate household. We can get through this but we must stay vigilant.”

COVID-19 Salinas Valley Health Update:

To date, Salinas Valley Health has tested 20,428 people. Of those, 3789 were confirmed positives. Today we have a total of 51 COVID-19 patients in our four COVID-19 dedicated units. It is another new record.

About the Vaccines:

COVID-19 vaccines are meant to reduce/diminish the effects of COVID-19, but it does not prevent anyone from getting the virus or being a carrier of the virus. Therefore, all masking and social distancing guidelines remain in effect whether a vaccine is received or not. This will remain important for many months to come

• Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were shown to be more than 94% effective at preventing cases of the disease.
• COVID-19 vaccination can’t cause COVID-19. The goal of the vaccines is to teach our immune systems how to fight the virus that causes COVID-19.

Side effects are minimal for most people. There are short-term mild or moderate vaccine reactions including soreness in the injection point, headache, tiredness and muscle pain.