COVID PM: Warriors’ arena dishing out vaccines, a look at homeless inoculation & some tax relief
Hey, everybody, we move over the Wednesday hump with all kinds of bits and pieces to chew on ...
➤ THEY SHOOT, THEY SCORE! Kaiser Permanante Arena will dish out vaccine assists to eligible arms that belong to Kaiser or don’t. Seems like a no-brainer marriage there.
➤ HOMELESS VAX BEGINS: Our Kevin Painchaud captured the early stages of inoculations for the county’s unsheltered population earlier this week.
➤ TAX BREAK: The Internal Revenue Service cut people a month reprieve, moving Tax Day back to May 17.
➤ BOARDWALK HAPPENINGS: No ride plans yet, but this new event added to the calendar looks pretty cool.
To the headlines we go...
They’ve got (vaccination) game
COVID TODAY: Kaiser Permanente opened a new vaccination hub in the — yep, you guessed it — Kaiser Permanente Arena today, in partnership with the Santa Cruz Warriors. The site will serve eligible Kaiser patients and others in the community, according to a statement released by the health care provider. More on that plus a long-awaited Sutter update from Mallory Pickett here.
Vaccination of homeless population begins
VACCINE WATCH: After the California Department of Public Health expanded the eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 vaccine to include people experiencing homelessness, Santa Cruz County began inoculations with a clinic at Housing Matters on Tuesday. Lookout photo contributor Kevin Painchaud captured the scene.
MOVE BACK TO BENCHLANDS? The city of Santa Cruz is suggesting the San Lorenzo Park homeless encampment — which remains intact because of COVID-19-related court order — should move back to a previously evacuated zone of the park. More from Isa Cueto here.
Take a little more time, IRS says
COVID ECONOMY: The IRS announced it will push back tax day to May 17 and said it would provide further guidance in the coming days. The move provides more breathing room for taxpayers and the IRS alike to cope with changes brought on by the pandemic. More from our LA Times content partners here.
No rides yet, but Boardwalk goodies for sure
COVID ECONOMY: We’re all still awaiting word on whether the Beach Boardwalk will open for some sort of business by the start of April. Until then, they’re expanding other offerings in the form of an open-air market, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, and will feature about 30 local artisans selling jewelry, art, gifts, health and beauty products, and more. More details here.
Quick Take
Most middle school children in Watsonville have benefited from a visit to the Watsonville Wetlands. It’s a non-profit...
More from here & elsewhere
➤ When will California get more COVID-19 vaccine? Here’s what we know (LA Times)
➤ COVID-19 reinfections are rare, but more common in people 65 and older, study finds (CNN)
➤ New Facebook tool aims to connect people to vaccines — but disinformation is rampant (LA Times)
➤ ‘I’m not fighting this’: Popular SF venue forced to close less than a week after reopening (SF Gate)
➤ Even if you’re unvaccinated, indoor activities now much less risky in Bay Area, experts say (SF Gate)
➤ When can children get COVID-19 vaccine? Will it be safe? Here’s what experts want you to know (USA Today)
WE ASKED YOU: You gave us (good!) answers...
I wanted your description of the dreaded “second dose” experience and you delivered. This sample shows what a grab bag result it is...
Unexpected. My reaction made me so sick that I questioned whether or not I should seek medical attention. — Kelly Krauel
Feverish. Like a 24-hr flu but glad my immune system was reacting to the vaccine. — Deanna Naman
Zero side effects. I had my second Pfizer dose last Thursday. Other than the normal local injection soreness the next morning, I had zero side effects. — Rob Genco
Spasms! I had muscle spasms and some stabbing pains from my shoulder blades all the way down to my calves. But it was pretty much gone in a day. — MM
GREAT! I didn’t feel a thing in my arm and had zero side effects. — Lee Duffus
Sloth. The first day was not much different than a flu shot. Second day though, I was a sloth ... no energy, moved very slow throughout the day. Next day back to normal. — Jeannine Baker
Quick Take
Celebrate the MAH’s 25th Anniversary with new exhibitions and events happening throughout Santa Cruz County in 2021.
Pretty bad. Effects included fever, chills, lethargy, heartbeat in 140s, aches. The good news is it was over in one day. All in all, worth it — Sandra Wallace
Pretty good. My husband and I got our second Moderna. Sore arm and a bit tired the next day. We’re over 65 :) — Claire
Terrible! Sick for 4 days — Lisa Dilles
Sore. My second shot of Moderna includes a sore arm for a couple of days, very mild headache, a bit achy and a bit tired. — Mary Anne Lutz
Relief! — Karen Poret
Have a question for us to try and get answered? Submit it here or just reply to this email.
#BOLO
With Thursday upon us already, it’s time to anticipate the weekly update from county health officials. That will kick off at 2 p.m. and you should BE ON THE LOOKOUT for a link from us to watch it live.
See you all tomorrow!
Mark Conley
Deputy Managing Editor