KINGSBURG — When it comes to COVID vaccines for Kingsburg residents, the five members of the Kingsburg City Council aren't happy.

City Manager Alexander Henderson made a full report on the pandemic at the Feb. 17 council meeting. The discussion turned to the acquisition and distribution of the COVID vaccine, especially the home bound senior citizens in Kingsburg.

“What we are waiting on locally is state and county guidance on how we can manage things locally,” said Council member Michelle Roman.

Henderson said that Kingsburg has completed its application to the state to try to get a direct allocation of doses.

“Basically, I think there is a backlog of applications occurring right now and just a deficit of total doses that are available. We have not received any feedback or any go ahead to have anything locally,” she said.

But the city has submitted a game plan. The city is just waiting to get additional guidance from the city and county.

Henderson said that none of the locations in the city to administer the vaccine have been approved by the state.

Council member Brandon Pursell wants to ahead of the game by getting the information needed for those who need the vaccine.

Mayor Pro Tempore Vince Palomar has heard that Blue Shield and Kaiser might be handling the vaccines.

“They are attempting to partner with those networks because they already have a built-in network across the state,” said Henderson.

According to Council member Michelle Roman, the city already has the information on the seniors that meals are delivered to.

The city is waiting for the fire department to be approved to administer the vaccine.

There has been no guidance locally,” said Roman.

"Our residents deserve better, especially our older population. That's the part that makes me upset because we can't get it delivered. People can get the vaccine in either Fresno or Orange Cove but our seniors can't drive that far. They already know the number of homebound seniors. That's what we know and what we're good at in the city of Kingsburg.”

Henderson mentioned the possibility of having the county health director attend the next Council meeting via Zoom to try and get an answer to the Council’s concerns.

The meeting came on the same day as Governor Newsom and legislative leaders announced an agreement on a package of actions intended to provide relief to individuals families and businesses suffer the economic hardship from COVID-19.

Most of attention will be centered on $600 checks to those making less than $30,000 annually. There also be $2 million in grants for small businesses to apply for $5,000-$25,000 grants and fee relief for 59,000 restaurants and bars (covering two years of state fees).

It was also a tax relief for 600,000 barber and cosmetology businesses, currently covering the two years of state fees. It will also find children enrolled in state subsidized childcare and preschool providers.

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