Local health officials setting aside COVID vaccines for agriculture and food industry employees

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno County Health officials say they're setting aside 3,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for agriculture and food industry employees -- who are apart of tier 1B.

"We are already looking ahead to the future knowing that we have many more tiers to get through," says Fresno County Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra.

At the moment, Fresno County Health Division Manager Joe Prado says they're taking input from several local agencies to determine the best method of distribution.

They're looking at three models.

The first would be taking doses of the vaccine to indoor facilities for on-sight immunization.

"We want to work with an indoor facility, particularly one that has had an outbreak and really get focused in on that group," Prado said.

The second model also applies to employees of indoor facilities.

It would involve developing partnerships with rural health clinics -- who would then administer the vaccine.

"This is why we are stressing for more medical providers to sign on," Prado said.

The third and last model looks at outdoor Ag employees.

Health officials are considering bringing the vaccine to them.

The goals is to have all community input by next week and implement those plans by the last week of January.

"This model has to be a first and second dose as well, so we need our partners to be committed for the first and second doses as well," Prado said.

Prado says we could see vaccination for Ag and food employees start as soon as next month.

The plan is to launch an educational campaign in multiple languages before vaccinations start.