By Mark Fisher
contributing writer
Believe it or not
Today, May 4 the State announced that Kern County remains in the Orange Tier (Tier 3) of the COVID-19 Blueprint for a Safer Economy. This marks the fourth week our county has been in the Orange Tier. Every county is assigned to one of four tiers based on the adjusted case rate, testing positivity rate and health equity metric. Below is a summary of Kern County’s current metrics and a comparison of Kern’s metrics last week: Kern County must remain in the Orange Tier for at least three weeks before moving into the least restrictive Yellow Tier (Tier 4). Additionally, Kern must meet the Yellow Tier metrics for at least two consecutive weeks to be able to progress forward. Vaccination remains the safest and quickest way to immunity and those 16 and older are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The Public Health COVID-19 vaccine nurse hotline is available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Call or text (661) 677-4177 to ask your vaccine related questions. The Kern County Fairgrounds Mass Vaccination Clinic offers Pfizer vaccine from the comfort of your car or walk-thru. Currently, Pfizer is the only authorized vaccine for persons 16 and 17. The clinic operates Wednesday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments can be made at www.MyTurn.ca.gov but are not required. Other vaccinating providers are available throughout the community and can be found on the Vaccinating Providers Map at phweb.kerncounty.com/Html5Viewer/index.html?viewer=COVID19Vaccination.
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The Tehachapi Library is getting back to normal. Though currently open with limited capacity (up to 30 people) and social distancing, the library is open from 12 p.m. to 6 pm, Wednesday through Friday. The drive-up system is still also available for those who prefer a more secure way of using the library.
It will still take time before we’re back to the way it was before the shutdown, but one of the best ways to try to get things back to “normal” is to use the services we do have. Come take advantage of the library’s ongoing events, like the popular Summer Reading Program. The more we use the library the more the library will be able to do.
And as always, the Tehachapi Friends of the Library are going to be there to help in whatever way we can. Currently, everyone has access to the Continuing Book Sale downstairs, and plans are in the works for another one of our Big Sales, hopefully this fall.
The Friends of the Library aren’t yet ready to start taking more book donations, but plans for that are also beginning. Even so, there are a lot of volunteer tasks that the Friends of the Library could use help with. Such as implementing the new cleaning protocol for books that have already been donated. Dealing with these is a priority since just about every available nook and cranny is already full of books to get ready to sell.
In keeping with the limiting capacity the Friends of the Library, volunteers will be working before the library opens, Wednesday through Friday. If you’d like to join in and volunteer to help, contact the Friends of the Library at FOLTehachapi@gmail.com or (661) 750-2818.
