U.S. Surgeon General visits Bakersfield

In light of the ongoing battle against covid-19, Kern County received a surprise visit from the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams.

As the nation’s doctor, Vice Admiral Adams oversees the 6,000 member U.S Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and guides public health officials through general advisories and action reports on issues regarding advancing the health of the nation.

During his visit, Dr. Adams encouraged our community to follow public health guidelines to maintain the positive gains made in Kern County. Wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance to slow the spread. According to Dr. Adams, the “Three W’s” make a significant impact in blunting the transmission of the virus.

While in Bakersfield, Dr. Adams visited the Kern County Public Health Services Building, isolation units at Kern County Fairground and Kern Medical Center. I’m encouraged to hear from our Surgeon General highlight the decline in positivity rates nationwide and the progress undertaken by the federal government to develop a vaccine.

Also the Surgeon General was pleased with local partnership between the City of Bakersfield and the County of Kern to resolve public health concerns. In the recent months following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Stay At Home order, the Board of Supervisors expanded covid-19 testing and ICU bed capacity at our local hospitals through relief funds from the CARES Act passed by Congress in March.

One of the many accomplishments this year serving as District Four Supervisor is collaborating with KC Public Health Director Matt Constantine, California Farmworkers Foundation and Good Samaritan Hospital to form a contract with the county for the use of CARES Act funding to create a mobile field testing clinic for farmworkers. The initiative is the first of its kind in the nation and addresses the public’s concern of disparities in positivity rates for vulnerable populations. It’s a rewarding feeling to hear the nation’s doctor praise the mobile testing clinic’s effort at combatting the virus. When the public works together as a community, we can improve the health and livelihood of our loved ones and reopen our economy.

While District Four continues to make significant strides in slowing the spread of the virus, I encourage you to remain committed to practicing public health guidelines from the CDC, California Public Health Department, and KC Public Health Dept.

Furthermore, the KC Board of Supervisors is working in close consultation with County Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop and KCPH Director Constantine to voice our concerns with Gov. Newsom’s office about the state’s new four-tier, color-coded reopening blueprint. I share the same concerns and frustration of the small businesses in my district struggling to keep their business open due to the inconsistent communication from the state on which sectors of the economy are eligible for loosened restrictions of activities. To slow the spread, I look forward to working with the Board to find additional help to District Four and to the County as a whole.

If you have any questions about this or any other matter, feel free to contact us at [email protected] or at 661-868-3680. Have a safe week.