Contributed

Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a series of initiatives building on the state’s work to vaccinate California’s hard-to-reach communities against COVID-19, address vaccine hesitancy and drive innovative efforts in the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. New efforts focus on direct appointment assistance; community outreach including neighborhood canvassing, phone banking and text banking; at-home vaccinations and transportation services; and an additional $33 million in funding, bringing the total to $85.7 million, to support community-based organizations.

What is the opposite of vaccine-hesitant? Vaccine-delighted? Vaccine-obsessed? Whatever we call it, that was me in mid-December, when the rollout began. As a front-line medical worker in New York City, I had been working in labor and delivery, in a high-risk inpatient unit, and in prenatal clinics for eight pandemic months that seemed like forever. When I was given a vaccine appointment, one of the first available in our hospital — I moved child care and work obligations and mountains to get to it, without question.

Diana Serrano is offering a non-certificated American Heart Saver CPR/AED course on May 23. She will teach three classes from 8-10 a.m., 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. at Hands of Mercy Day Spas, 463 W. Esplanade Ave. in Hemet, across the street from Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District Regional Park.

More than 40 vendors participated in Soboba’s fourth annual Health & Wellness Fair at the Sports Complex on April 29. Organized as an outdoor event this year to make sure social distancing and other safety protocols could be put into place, a steady flow of visitors stopped by during the four-hour event.

It’s been one year since Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide adjusted their hallmark methods of sharing comfort and hope from the scriptures due to the pandemic.