Good morning and Happy Friday.
Heather is out this morning (or, this evening, as I’m writing this), so I’ll be filling in.
This week seemed to be a big one for COVID-19 news both locally and statewide — particularly when looking at virus vaccines.
On a state level, we began the week with the California Department of Public Health
pausing a batch of Moderna vaccines to investigate possible allergic reactions, and then it
recalled its pause on Thursday, after finding no scientific evidence to continue the pause.
Locally, vaccination efforts continue.
The county of Sonoma announced Thursday afternoon that it had issued a total of 23,787 vaccines (made up of both Moderna and Pfizer). This breaks out to mean that 13,721 residents have received a first dose of the vaccine and 5,033 had been fully vaccinated.
County officials also announced that vaccine efforts would be ramping up in the coming weeks — they anticipate having the capacity to vaccinate more than 2,000 people a day.
Included in the county’s plan is the introduction of a series of yet-to-be-opened vaccination clinics. These will be in addition to other vaccination areas located at health centers, health providers and vaccine distribution happening through CVS and Walgreens.
We’ll have more complete coverage of the county’s vaccine update meeting later today, so check back on our website for updates.
Our own local efforts with getting a vaccine into the arms of county residents, mixed with the increased national effort to help decrease barriers for vaccine production, gives me hope. Dare I say it — it looks like there may be a glimmer of light at the end of this nearly yearlong tunnel. Until then, we get to flex our resiliency muscle a little longer.
—Zoë Strickland, Cloverdale Reveille Editor
As state guidance changes and virus numbers increase, Healdsburg's school district is still unsure of when it may be able to open for in-person learning.
An inflammatory syndrome associated with a new strain of the coronavirus is impacting some kids weeks after they get the virus. Learn more from our friends at CalMatters.
Guidelines as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom's "Safe Schools for All Plan," released in December, are meant to incentivize schools to get on track to reopen to students — but the strings attached may end up costing schools more money. Learn more from CalMatters.
Check out what photocolumnist Pierre Ratté has to say about the Chalk Hill Grange.
Read about what's new at the Healdsburg Regional Library.
Get a glimpse at Healdsburg's history in Flashbacks.
Read what your fellow readers had to say in this week's letters to the editor.
Links to all stories are below.
Have a question or comment? Reach out to newsletters@sonomawest.com and let us know what you think.
