BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The latest COVID numbers jumped again Friday morning with the county dashboard revealing seven new deaths attributed to the coronavirus. The total number of deaths now stands at 558.
The website also tracking more than 400 patients that are being treated in one of 10 area hospitals.
There were 1,149 more positive tests pushing that grand total to more than 83,500. Nearly 51,000 of those tests are people 18 to 49.
Meantime, the county is opening a mass vaccination site at the Kern County Fairgrounds next week. On Wednesday they'll be holding a soft opening to a pre-designated group of people.
And if you plan to get the vaccine, public health says to do your research ahead of time.
"The only noted contraindication to the vaccine at this time is if you have an allergy to the vaccine or component fo the vaccine and to know that you can go online and look at the Pfizer of Moderna ingredients."
There are currently 43 providers in Kern County that are giving vaccinations. For more info give public health a call at 321-3000.
The Kern County Latino Task Force has announced they'll be setting up permanent testing sites around Kern County, including the Kern County Fairgrounds and several Clinical Sierra Vista locations.
President-elect Joe Biden unveiled his plan to build back the American economy and fight the coronavirus as the global death toll reached two million people Friday morning. Its called the American Rescue Plan.
A massive nearly $2 two trillion proposal calling for an additional $1,400 in direct payments to most Americans on top of the $600 most just received. Plus $130 billion to help schools reopen safely and $160 billion to build a national vaccine program and boost testing.
"We'll have to move heaven and earth to get more people vaccinated to create more places for them to get vaccinated. To mobilize more medical teams to get shots in people's arms."
President-elect Biden said his goal is to reach 100 million shots in his first 100 days as president.
In addition to billions of dollars for vaccination efforts - Biden is calling for bigger stimulus checks for Americans and a boost in the minimum wage.
