FA R M
L A B O R
I N F O R M AT I O N
B U L L E T I N
Voice of the Fields California
December 2021
FREE
COVID-19 Updates
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N CALIFORNIA, more than three-quarters of the population is fully vaccinated. This number sounds promising (and it is!) but the risk level of COVID-19 transmission varies throughout the state in communities where large amounts of people remain unvaccinated. The Central Valley and far Northern California, for instance, have the lowest vaccine rates and high transmission rates of COVID-19. Overall, the state has seen a consistent decline in cases for the last eight weeks. However, medical experts warn that numbers will likely increase again heading into the winter season, especially during and after the holidays because of increased family gatherings. The good news is that the oncoming risk of the “winter surge” in COVID-19 cases is not likely to be as deadly as it was in 2020 because many people are now vaccinated.
Children 5+
Children 5 years old and older are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Those between the ages of 5-11 will receive a low dose of the Pfizer vaccine while those 12 and up will receive the regular dosage. Clinical trials have long been underway to test the Pfizer vaccine’s safety and effectiveness on children and it was proven to be both safe and effective. Now that children are back in school and congregating in large numbers with other children, it’s important that we do what we can to protect them by getting them vaccinated. By law, California children are currently required to have a host of immunizations (vaccines) before they can enter private/ public schools or daycare centers. Just to enter kindergarten, children must be vaccinated against 1) Polio, 2) Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP), 3) Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), 4) Hepatitis B, 5) Varicella (Chickenpox), and immunization requirements increase as the child gets older. It’s important to remember that all of these vaccines were created because large numbers of children were tragically dying or becoming crippled from diseases. While it’s sad that another illness is present in today’s world, vaccines are a proven safe-
guard against them. To book an appointment or find a walk-in vaccine site near you, visit California’s My Turn website or the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) website: My Turn English: myturn.ca.gov Spanish: myturn.ca.gov/es_US.html CDC English: www.vaccines.gov/search/ Spanish: www.vacunas.gov/search/
Booster Shots
While medical experts know that the COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective, they aren’t quite sure how long its effectiveness lasts. The vaccine works by encouraging the immune system to create antibodies against the virus so that if we encounter COVID-19, our body will have the tools to fight it. But antibodies do not last in the body forever. They decrease over time. Until medical experts know more about how long these antibodies stay present in the body and effectively fight COVID-19, they strongly recommend getting a booster shot if you’re fully vaccinated. Booster shots “boost” the vaccines effectiveness and make sure that you still have the antibodies you need to fight the virus.
Volume 31, Number 12 All Californians are eligible for a booster shot if: You’re 18 and older, and You’re fully vaccinated, and It’s been 6 months since your second vaccine dose (Pfizer and Moderna), or two
months since your Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Find a walk-in clinic or schedule to receive your booster shot using California’s My Turn website. The COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are free, safe, and effective. You will never be asked about your immigration status. English: myturn.ca.gov Spanish: myturn.ca.gov/es_US.html
WEDNESDAY
DECEMBER 15 10AM
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Celebrating the Holidays Gatherings As the holiday season continues, we are all ready to enjoy the period of rest and rejuvenation that the holidays offer. Most notably, we look forward to feasting on delicious food and visiting with those we love. We can still do all of these things, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s important that we do it safely. Over the past two years, there is always a massive surge of cases because of holiday gatherings, but there’s good news: we know a lot more about the virus than we did in 2020 and we have far more opportunities to gather safely while protecting our communities. Vaccine Checks Consider asking everyone attending your holiday gatherings whether they have been vaccinated. Being unvaccinated plays a huge role in our current rates of infection. According to recent data collected by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), unvaccinated individuals are 6 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than vaccinated people and 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19. Vaccines are now available to everyone ages 5 and up. Gathering is so much safer when we know as many people as possible have been vaccinated. Community Checks The rates of COVID-19 infections vary widely by location. Some cities have relatively low case numbers while others are skyrocketing. Check to see what conditions look like in your area or the area you’re traveling to. Knowing current rates of infection can tell you and family members about how cautious you need to be when gathering. CDC COVID Data Tracker: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home 1 Select State or Territory using the drop-down menu (Select “California”) 2 Select County or Metro Area using the drop-down menu Extra Checks SAME-DAY TESTS: Many families are also opting for same-day testing before their holiday gatherings. To do this, everyone makes sure to take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of the event to protect everyone even more from potentially spreading the virus. COVID-19 tests are widely available and free to every Californian regardless of insurance or immigration status. You can even buy at-home test kits at your nearest CVS, Walgreens or other pharmacy. MASKS INSIDE, MEALS OUTSIDE: One of the main reasons that illnesses spread so quickly during the fall and winter months is because people tend to stop gathering outdoors and move inside. Without fresh air circulation, it’s much easier to transmit flus, viruses, and COVID-19. Consider wearing masks indoors and perhaps hosting the meal portion of the gathering outside so that everyone can remove their masks more safely. Travel The holidays bring about some of the highest travel days a year for those driving cars, taking trains, and flying on airplanes. And this year is no exception. With COVID-19 vaccination rates increasing and the ban on international visitors lifted, the United States is preparing for enormous rates of travel during this year’s holiday season. BY AIR: If you or your loved ones are planning to travel by airplane, book your tickets sooner rather than later. Since the ban on international visitors was lifted, people booking airfares into the United States has skyrocketed, and prices are going up too. Travel experts recommend planning ahead and also preparing for delays. With the widespread labor shortage, many airlines and airports are experiencing staffing challenges, so getting into and out of the airport may take longer than usual. BY CAR: If you or your loved ones plan to travel by car, expect high rates of traffic going to and from your destination, particularly if you’re traveling on a popular freeway or route. Also keep in mind that if you plan to rent a car for travel, rates have significantly increased during the holiday season.
GIFTING MONEY
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HE HOLIDAY SEASON means gifts will be given, in many cases through the form of money to a loved one. (It’s the easiest gift to give when you’re uncertain about what someone may like!) If you’re gifting money this holiday season, there’s a few things you should know to keep you and your hard earnings safe from thieves and scams: The easiest route to go when sending money to someone is through phone apps like Venmo and Zelle. Venmo and Zelle are apps that allow you to securely send money from your bank account directly to your intended recipient (as long as they have the same app you’re using - check first!). Through apps like Venmo and Zelle, you don’t have to worry about thieves stealing your money like you would if you physically sent money through the mail. If you do send money through the mail, DO NOT SEND CASH! If you choose to go the other route and mail money to a loved one (perhaps you wanted to send it along with a holiday card, or sending through Venmo felt too impersonal), try not to send it in cash. Cash is the easiest thing for someone to steal, should your envelope end up in the hands of the wrong person. Mailbox theft increases during tax season and the holidays so it’s best to stay away from cash. Instead, go the safer route by sending money through a money order. Money orders require you to pay the cash upfront to your bank, who will then give you a piece of paper saying how much you gave along with the name of the recipient you intend to gift it to. Money orders can be cashed by the intended recipient at any designated location (like the bank or the post office) and do not have your personal information like checks do (so if someone steals the mail along the way, they won’t have your information). You can track your money order to see if it has been cashed yet, and if so, where it was cashed. Money orders cost an additional fee (typically between $1.20 and $1.60), but the added layer of security is worth it. You can also send a cashier’s check, which will cost an additional fee as well, but is more secure than mailing money via cash or a regular check. The difference between a cashier’s check and a money order is that the fee for a cashier’s check costs more, but allows you to send money in larger amounts (money orders cannot be more than $1,000). Write with indelible ink—indelible ink pens prevent people from being able to “wash” the amount of money you write on a check (changing the original amount you wrote to a different, usually larger amount). You can buy pens with indelible ink at any store that sells office supplies—Target, Staples, Walmart, etc. And lastly, Use a security envelope when sending money through the mail. Security envelopes prevent people from being able to see/read what’s inside, meaning that if you send a check, no one along the way will be able to read how much it is or who it’s going to. Security envelopes can also be easily purchased at any store that sells office supplies. If you cannot get a security envelope, at least conceal the check or money order by folding it inside a card or another piece of paper so it can’t be seen through the envelope.