County: 'Pause' in vaccinations does not include Menifee site, but limited supply of vaccine means limited appointments

A "pause" in the administration of the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 at some locations in the state will not affect vaccination clinics at four Riverside County sites, including Heritage High School in Menifee, according to county health officials.

Even so, an "extremely limited supply" of the vaccine is making it difficult for local residents to make an appointment for the vaccination.

In a news release today, the Riverside County Health Department announced that Moderna vaccinations will continue as scheduled Tuesday through Friday for those who already have appointments at Heritage High, as well as at locations in Corona, Beaumont and Indio.

State health officials announced today that hundreds of thousands of doses of Moderna Lot 041L20A were being put on hold after a "higher than usual number" of allergic reactions from the shot were reported in Southern California. More than 330,000 doses from the affected lot were distributed to 287 providers across the state, according to county officials, but none in Riverside County.

Fewer than 10 individuals required medical attention over a span of 24 hours after receiving doses from the affected lot at a community vaccination clinic outside Riverside County, according to the news release.

"The state has not been notified of any other cluster or individual events related to this lot," the news release stated. "Any adverse reactions at the Riverside County vaccine clinics so far have been rare."

The Moderna vaccine is being offered at Heritage High and the other three county locations to individuals 65 and older as well as law enforcement, fire department personnel, teachers and food workers, including grocery store employees. The complete list of those who qualify at this time in Phase 1A (all tiers) and 1B (tier 1) can be found at the website www.ruhealth.org/covid-19-vaccine. That is also the site at which to register to receive the vaccine. Those without internet access may call 211 for information about the vaccine.

However, because of the huge demand and limited doses made available so far, all appointments at the Heritage High site and others in the county are already booked until at least Friday, according to a separate news release from Riverside County Health over the weekend. When the first day of Heritage vaccinations last Friday was announced, appointments were booked within two hours for the next week, according to health officials.

"There are 2.4 million residents in Riverside County, including approximately 343,000 seniors aged 65 or older," according to that news release. "The estimate for the number of people currently eligible to receive the vaccine in Riverside County is in excess of 700,000. Yet Riverside County has only received 114,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Nearly 80 percent of those doses have gone to state-approved providers, including hospitals, physicians, clinics and pharmacies to vaccinate workers and residents within the current tiers. Shipments are usually received weekly and either distributed to providers or administered at a public health vaccine clinic in 2-3 days."

Those wishing to receive the vaccine are encouraged to "ask their doctor, urgent care or pharmacy if they are an approved provider and when they expect to have the vaccine," according to the news release. A list of providers other than the county clinics are listed on the county's website.

On Tuesday, Riverside County will release its first update of COVID-19 cases since Friday.