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Increased vaccine announcement a glimmer of hope in combatting COVID variants
A local infectious diseases expert says she doesn't want the public to worry too much about COVID variants that have now arrived in the Bay Area. She adds the vaccines available will protect you and that it's a matter of ramping up production and distribution to get ahead of the pandemic.
ALAMEDA, Calif. - The White House press secretary made the announcement Tuesday that deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines to pharmacies will begin next Thursday.
The news comes as local public health officials say they are investigating at least six possible or confirmed cases of the UK variant in Alameda County.
In the city of Alameda, people enjoyed the return of outdoor dining along Park Street on a mild February night.
Some say they're aware that the UK variant of the coronavirus is in California.
But they say it's news to them that the variant is now close to home in their county.
"All of this is scary. The difference between a new version: I'm going to keep caring for my family. We're going to wear our masks. Keep washing our hands. We're going to keep distance," says Betsy Fedewa who lives in Alameda.
Her husband Steve Fedewa says, "I wasn't really that concerned now that we've gone through the whole COVID thing, as long as the vaccines take care of all the strains."
One infectious disease expert from UCSF offers some assurance.
"I don't want people to be worried about it," says Dr. Monica Gandhi.
She says the UK variant may be more contagious but isn't necessarily more deadly.
"What I do know for sure is that current vaccines that we have authorized in this country work against this variant. The most important thing we can do for the American people is to get the vaccine in them as fast as possible. Then the virus will stop replicating as much and it can't mutate as much. There's nothing more urgent than rolling out the vaccine."
Making COVID-19 vaccines more readily available is a component of the Biden administration's plan.
It announced that the federal government will start distributing vaccines directly to pharmacies across the country starting on February 11.
It's part of the strategy to ramp up vaccinations as new variants of the virus start to appear.
"This will provide more sites for people to get vaccinated in their communities and it's a component to delivering vaccines equitably. More than 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacies," says Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary.
People who spoke with KTVU say their older family members have gotten vaccinated against COVID-19, but that the rollout has been slow so the White House plan is welcomed news.
"It's a positive thing towards the right direction. I mean, I'm ready for one," says Elvis Zavaleta of San Francisco.
"Yeah, we're waiting. We can't wait to get them," says Betsy Fedewa.
Dr. Gandhi says the federal government's plan to get vaccines to local pharmacies is the way to go: make it as easy as getting a flu shot.
Despite the problems so far with the rollout, she predicts a return to normalcy by September of this year.