COVID-19 Response & Recovery for Child Care & Wellbeing
Our goal is to ensure that young children have quality, nurturing, and safe child care and education during the pandemic. For more information about this effort and the coalition behind it, please visit our web hub here.
Our next Zoom update will be during the Local Planning Council meeting on January 12 at 2:30pm. Please contact Laurie Ramirez or click here to join. All are welcome! If you have information, flyers, or events you would like to share in this publication or at the next meeting, please contact Laura@BrightBeginningsMC.org.
This Week’s Highlights
A few highlights from this last week are shared below. Previous Weekly Digests are available here.
Vaccines By the Numbers
77% of eligible Monterey County residents ages 5+ have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as reported here by the Monterey County Health Department on December 13. Stay informed with the Monterey County COVID-19 portal.
News
- As of Wednesday, December 15, California Department of Public Health requires universal masking in all public, indoor settings for all people (with some exceptions – like children under 2) regardless of vaccination status. For more information, see the notice from CDPH here. This mandate will last through January 15, unless otherwise extended.
- The Monterey County Office of Education will be hosting a FREE COVID-19 booster and flu shot clinic on Friday, December 17, from 8:30am-11:00am and 3:00pm-7:00pm. This clinic is open to all MCOE staff as well as school based educators in the area. Vaccines will be administered on a first come, first served basis. Here are flyers to share with your department, school, and education staff. If you wish to register, please scan the QR code on the flyer with your phone.
- Some clinics will have limited hours and days available due to the upcoming holidays, and most vaccine clinics are now by appointment only. For extra assistance, call 211 as they have multiple languages available.
- Take extra precautions this winter and come back to school and work healthy in the new year. Follow these tips to stay safe and protect yourself, family, and friends from the COVID-19 virus.
- Upgrade your mask: Good fit and filtration continue to be the best way to get the most out of your mask. The best masks for preventing COVID-19 include the N95, KN95 and KF94. If you don’t have access to one of these masks, wear a surgical mask or a surgical mask with a cloth mask on top. If you choose a fabric mask, opt for one with three or more cloth layers. No matter what kind of mask you wear, check the fit by avoiding gaps above the nose or on the sides.
- Get vaccinated for COVID-19 and flu: It’s your turn now! It’s recommended for everyone over six months of age to be vaccinated for the flu. For COVID-19, Californians age 5+ are eligible to make appointments or go to a walk-in site for vaccination. You can get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines on the same day.
- My Vaccine Record is an easy way to show vaccination status at venues or businesses that require proof of vaccination. Visit myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov today to get your vaccine record.
- Stay Home & Get Tested if Sick: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches), or believe you have been exposed – get tested, call your healthcare provider, and stay home and away from others. Free, confidential testing is available statewide. Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home from work and school if you feel ill.
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Travel tips: Delay travel (both domestic and international) until you are fully vaccinated. If you must travel before being fully vaccinated, consider getting tested before and after travel. See the CDC’s full travel guidance.
- Avoid crowded venues or areas when cases are high.
- Add your phone to the fight: Sign up for COVID-19 exposure notifications from CA Notify.
- Answer the call or text if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or your local health department tries to reach you.
- Check with the Monterey County Health Department about local conditions.
- Are you free this Friday, December 17 from 1:30pm-6:30pm? Head to the King City Airport to help with Operation Santa Claus! Volunteers will help wrap gifts and hand out food boxes to local families in our community. Community service hours are available for students who participate! Click here to register or contact Dominic Dursa at 831-759-8676 for more info and share the flyer.
- Feeling the holiday spirit? Here are some opportunities to give back to children in need:
- Monterey County Family and Children’s Services: Contact Chelsea Chacon with any questions on what to donate.
- Sun Street Centers Toy Drive: Accepting new toy donations today, December 16! Drop-off location is 128 E. Alisal St. in Salinas, 831-753-5150.
- California Youth Outreach: Accepting donations of new games, puzzles, basketballs, and young men’s hygiene products. Contact Christina Yee with any questions.
- Rancho Cielo Youth Campus: Accepting donations of new games, puzzles, basketballs, and young men’s hygiene products. Contact Edna Valdez with any questions.
- Need to find a testing or vaccine clinic in Monterey County? Visit MontereyCountyVaccines.com or find your location in the bilingual flyers below:
- Want to know how much ARPA funding came into California and Monterey County? Check out this interactive tool that provides a breakdown by state, county, and city.
COVID-19 Information
COVID-19 Vaccine Information ➡️ click here to learn more…
General COVID-19 & Public Health ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resources & Tools
Financial Relief for Families ➡️ click here to learn more…
All Ages Learning & Development Supports ➡️ click here to learn more…
Resilience & Mental Health Resources ➡️ click here to learn more…
Child Care & Education Quality & Business Tools ➡️ click here to learn more…
Policy & Advocacy ➡️ click here to learn more…
It Takes a Coalition
The emergency response providing coordinated solutions for child care and education is led by a coalition of early childhood champions, united under the Bright Beginnings Strategic Framework to better support all young children and their families, to prepare every child for life and school. This coalition is ever-growing:
4th Monterey County Supervisorial District
30th California Assembly District
Building Healthy Communities
CAPSLO
Carmel Unified School District
Child Care Planning Council
Child Development Centers and Continuing Development Incorporated
Children’s Council
Early Development Services
First 5 Monterey County
Go Kids, Inc.
Health Department
MAOF Resource & Referral & Alternative Payment Program
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Natividad Medical Center
North Monterey County Unified School District
Office of Education – Early Learning Program
Office of Education – Educational Services
Public Health Office
Quality Matters Monterey County
Salinas City Elementary School District
Social Services – Child Abuse Prevention Council
United Farmworkers Foundation
United Way of Monterey County
YMCA
A special thanks to the coordinating team and major funders: Bright Beginnings Backbone, Child Care Planning Council, First 5 Monterey County, MAOF Resource & Referral, Quality Matters, and the United Way of Monterey County.
For more information, please contact sonja@brightbeginningsmc.org.