4 Thursday, November 4, 2021
Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California
CDC endorses Pfizer vaccine for children 5–11 On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5–11. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had already given approval. Children could begin receiving shots as early as Wednesday; the Biden Administration has already given approval to begin shipping out the doses – which are 1/3rd the size of the adult Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine – across the country. The vaccines will be administered in smaller needles and vials. On Wednesday, Santa Barbara County confirmed that local pediatric distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine vials has already begun, with full availability anticipated next week. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC director, said the approval is an “important step in our nation’s fight against the virus that causes Covid-19.” There are 28 million children in the U.S. in this age group, according to the CDC. In Santa Barbara County, there are 42,000 children in that age group. The center recommends getting children in this group vaccinated “as soon as possible.” “We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine. As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated,” Dr. Walensky said. As of Wednesday, 60.4% of Santa Barbara County residents are now fully vaccinated, compared to 71.4% of those
eligible to be vaccinated. The county reported 415 new Covid-19 cases between Oct. 22 and Oct. 28, for 361 active cases, 44,032 total cases and 523 total deaths. During that same week, the county saw 40 hospitalizations – 14 in the ICU – and four deaths. The majority of cases were seen in the 30–49 age group, at 138 cases, followed by the 0–17 age group with 93 cases. The county continues to report higher cases of Covid-19 among the unvaccinated populations. Between the week of Oct. 15 and Oct. 21, the county reported 235 cases among the unvaccinated population, compared to 82 in the unvaccinated population. The county also reminds residents to get their flu shots, which are available throughout the county. Flu vaccines are available under most insurance plans. Per the county, symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea. People over the age of 65, pregnant women, children under the age of five and individuals with “certain chronic medical conditions” are at a higher risk of developing complications if they catch the flu. To learn where to get vaccinated for Covid-19, visit publichealthsbc.org/ vaccine. To get tested for Covid-19, find a site at publichealthsbc.org/testing. These sites are only offering the PCR test. For more information from the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, call 211 and press #4 or email the county at PHDDOC.PIOCommunitySupport@ sbcphd.org.
Flu vaccines are available at no cost under most insurance plans.
NOTICE OF VACANCIES ON HARBOR SEAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE The City of Carpinteria is seeking community members to participate in the Harbor Seal Advisory Committee. The Harbor Seal Advisory Committee is formed for the purpose of developing an understanding of the local harbor seal population, including causes of recent trends in births and haul-out numbers, and recommending to the City Council specific actions that it finds should be taken to mitigate habitat degradation and seal disturbances in the City. THE BOARD CURRENTLY HAS FIVE VACANCIES. An application can be found on the City’s website at carpinteriaca.gov > City Hall > City Clerk. Please submit completed applications to brianb@ci.carpinteria.ca.us or to: CITY OF CARPINTERIA Attn: City Clerk 5775 Carpinteria Avenue Carpinteria, CA 93013 For more information about the Harbor Seal Advisory Committee, contact Erin Maker, erinm@ci.carpinteria.ca.us.
A yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, was found in Santa Barbara last year. The non-native insect can complete its development in the amount of water left in an upturned bottle cap.
Rain brings potential for mosquito outbreaks CVN REPORT
While the recent rains were a welcome sight in the Carpinteria area, bringing a small amount of relief to the drought, they also have the potential to bring outbreaks of nuisance mosquitoes – especially the non-native yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, which was found in Santa Barbara last year. “Mosquitoes need stagnant water for their development,” said Dr. Brian Cabrera, general manager of the Mosquito and Vector Management District of Santa Barbara County. “Female mosquitoes lay their eggs on the water. Mosquito larvae hatch out of the eggs, grow and complete their development in the water and in a few days emerge from the water as adult mosquitoes,” he explained. “Reducing mosquito problems can be pretty straightforward and the math is very simple: No stagnant water equals no mosquitoes.” To “fight the bite,” Dr. Cabrera urges residents to check inside and outside
where they live for stagnant water sources where mosquitoes can develop. It doesn’t take much for this to happen; Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can complete their development in the amount of water that fills a bottle cap. Some of the common items and locations that hold stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed include buckets, clogged gutters, neglected bird baths, rain barrels, abandoned tires, saucers under potted plants, neglected pools and even litter on the ground, such as, discarded cups and plastic wrappers. Plants, especially bromeliads or tree holes, also can hold enough water for mosquitoes to develop in. “If it can hold water, it can be a potential breeding site,” says Dr. Cabrera. A tell-tale sign of mosquito-infested water is the presence of dark, wormlike “wigglers.” These are actually the mosquito larvae which later develop into adult mosquitoes. Dumping and draining the water is enough to destroy the mosquito larvae – and this means they won’t grow up to bite you.