LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has many dogs available to new homes.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian shepherd, border collie, boxer, Chihuahua, German shepherd, hound, Labrador retriever, pit bull, shepherd and treeing walker coonhound.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
Those dogs and the others shown on this page at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
NORTH COAST, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company invites North Coast Region customers to a virtual town hall to learn more about work in their region and discuss tips for safety and energy savings.
On Wednesday, Nov. 1, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., PG&E experts, including Regional Vice President for PG&E’s North Coast Dave Canny, will provide a brief presentation during which participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.
The event can be accessed through the below link, by phone or through PG&E’s website, www.pge.com/webinars.
Counties covered in the town hall are Lake, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Siskiyou, Sonoma and Trinity.
To participate, use this link. To dial in, call 888-469-1174. The conference ID is 5429064.
In this meeting, PG&E will also provide an update regarding a pair of proposed decisions in the general rate case by the California Public Utilities Commission.
The proposed decisions would drastically reduce PG&E’s undergrounding plans of more than 2,000 miles between now and 2026.
American Sign Language interpretation will be available, along with dial-in numbers for those who aren’t able to join online.
For the full webinar events schedule, additional information on how to join and recordings and presentation materials from past events, visit www.pge.com/webinars.
Pomo dancers perform at Xabatin Community Park in Lakeport, California, during the park’s grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Xabatin is a Pomo word meaning “big water.” Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. LAKEPORT, Calif. — Hundreds of people came out on Thursday afternoon to celebrate and enjoy the city of Lakeport’s newest park.
Xabatin (pronounced Ka-bah-ten) Community Park, located on the lakeside at the former Natural High School site, was a longtime dream for the city of Lakeport.
The dream began to move into reality in early 2020, when the city received a $5.9 million State Parks grant that made it possible to purchase the majority of the property from the Lakeport Unified School District, along with a small portion from a family, and to pay for the construction.
Since the park project got underway, it had been called “Lakefront Park,” but that was a placeholder name. At the Lakeport City Council’s Oct. 17 meeting, it voted to approve naming the new facility “Xabatin Community Park,” as a tribute to Lakeport’s Pomo tribal history.
The city also honored the Pomo through inviting tribal members to be a key part of the Thursday ceremony, with a land acknowledgment, a blessing by Big Valley tribal elder Ron Montez and, at the new gazebo, Pomo dancers who twirled in feathers and colorful regalia as part of a traditional dance performance.
Thursday’s grand opening came just a year after the park’s construction officially began.
The ninja gym at Xabatin Community Park in Lakeport, California, during the park’s grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
The Lakeport City Council awarded the $4,399,381 construction contract to Redding-based Builders Solutions Inc. in August 2022. Construction began on Oct. 17, 2022.
Public Works Director Ron Ladd told the Lakeport City Council at its Aug. 1 meeting that the park’s completion had originally been set for May 25.
However, the winter weather of earlier this year — including snow that coated the city — pushed back the park’s completion day.
Builder Solutions Inc. was afforded 150 days to complete the park. As of the start of August, Ladd said there had been 77 nonworking days due to inclement weather.
City Manager Kevin Ingram said that while the park was ready to be opened — the lights are active and the splash pad is operational, although it wasn’t in use on Thursday because of the bands — there is still “quite a punch list” of tasks to complete.
The new sod was recently put in place, but it will be three to four weeks before people can walk on it, he said.
The park features a lakefront promenade that winds all the way down to Library Park. The path around the edge of the park leads to a round viewing area perched on the edge of the lake.
The expansive view from that spot illustrates the meaning of Xabatin — “big water.”
BMX riders and skateboarders enjoy the new skatepark at Xabatin Community Park in Lakeport, California, during the park’s grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
The park is oriented toward Mount Konocti, and it gives the feeling that the mountain is part of it.
Mayor Stacey Mattina agreed with the visual impression that the park layout offers, calling it an “infinity park.”
The park also includes a skatepark for bikes and boards that was the site of special demonstrations by skilled riders, a basketball court, ninja gym, amphitheater, a splash pad shaped like Clear Lake, sheltered picnic areas and a building that houses both a concession facility and bathrooms.
Ingram recounted the challenges that went along with the park’s development.
Despite the $5.9 million grant, “We were a little short,” when it came to the funds necessary to complete the project, said Ingram.
Ingram said the council approved $1 million out of reserves so they didn’t have to cut amenities — like the ninja gym, which had been at the top of the list of what might have been removed.
“We were sweating bullets when the construction bids came back,” he said.
The city was concerned about what the price tag might be due to the supply chain issues that came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he said Builder Solutions Inc. came in with a bid that allowed the city to complete the park.
“They’ve been fantastic partners,” he said of the company.
While Ingram said of the park, “We can see all the beautiful things” that it offers, what you can’t see — the park infrastructure — is built right and will last.
“It was truly a team effort,” said Paul Curren, the city of Lakeport’s engineer.
He said the city is blessed with talent, like Project Coordinator Vince Salcedo, who has 30 years of experience.
Mattina said Salcedo was on site every day, working on details such as which of several shades of blue to paint the splash pad.
The result, said Ingram, “is exactly what we were envisioning,” all the way around — from the grand opening to the completed park.
The basketball court was busy at Xabatin Community Park in Lakeport, California, during the park’s grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
“This exceeds my expectations,” Ingram said.
With this major project completed, what’s next on the city’s to do list?
A new hotel, said Mattina.
The city plans to put out a request for proposals for the Dutch Harbor site next to the park. She said there already is interest in the site.
Mattina said they also want to build a new pool in the city.
She said the new park will help the hotel project, pointing out that Lake County is an easy place to get to from the Bay Area.
“Build it and they will come,” she said.
They’re also looking forward to seeing new Christmas traditions at the park.
And there is still more to do at Xabatin Park. “There’s a lot of room for additional things at this park,” such as more work along the lakefront, Ingram said.
“This is just a start,” he added.
During a visit last week, State Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire toured the park, and Ingram said McGuire told them he wants to see more projects from Lake County.
“I guess we’ll oblige,” Ingram said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Visitors walk along the path to the lake at Xabatin Community Park in Lakeport, California, during the park’s grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
For centuries, the quest for new elements was a driving force in many scientific disciplines. Understanding an atom’s structure and the development of nuclear science allowed scientists to accomplish the old goal of alchemists – turning one element into another.
These heavy elements usually aren’t stable. Heavier elements have more protons, or positively charged particles in the nucleus; some that scientists have created have up to 118. With that many protons, the electromagnetic repulsive forces between protons in the atomic nuclei overwhelm the attractive nuclear force that keeps the nucleus together.
Scientists have predicted for a long time that elements with around 164 protons could have a relatively long half-life, or even be stable. They call this the “island of stability” – here, the attractive nuclear force is strong enough to balance out any electromagnetic repulsion.
Since heavy elements are difficult to make in the lab, physicists like me have been looking for them elements everywhere, even beyond the Earth. To narrow down the search, we need to know what sort of natural processes could produce these elements. We also need to know what properties they have, like their mass densities.
Calculating density
From the outset, my team wanted to figure out the mass density of these superheavy elements. This property could tell us more about how the atomic nuclei of these elements behave. And once we had an idea about their density, we could get a better sense of where these elements might be hiding.
To figure out the mass density and other chemical properties of these elements, my research team used a model that represents an atom of each of these heavy elements as a single, charged cloud. This model works well for large atoms, particularly metals that are laid out in a lattice structure.
We first applied this model to atoms with known densities and calculated their chemical properties. Once we knew it worked, we used the model to calculate the density of elements with 164 protons, and other elements in this island of stability.
Based on our calculations, we expect stable metals with atomic numbers around 164 to have densities between 36 to 68 g/cm3 (21 to 39 oz/in3). However, in our calculations, we used a conservative assumption about the mass of atomic nuclei. It’s possible that the actual range is up to 40% higher.
The same thing could have happened with these superheavy elements, but super mass dense heavy elements sink into ground and are eliminated from near the Earth’s surface by the subduction of tectonic plates. However, while researchers might not find superheavy elements on Earth’s surface, they could still be in asteroids like the ones that might have brought them to this planet.
Scientists have estimated that some asteroids have mass densities greater than that of osmium (22.59 g/cm3, 13.06 oz/in3), the densest element found on Earth.
The largest of these objects is asteroid 33, which is nicknamed Polyhymnia and has a calculated density of 75.3 g/cm3 (43.5 oz/in3). But this density might not be quite right, since it’s quite difficult to measure the mass and volume of far-away asteroids.
Polyhymnia isn’t the only dense asteroid out there. In fact, there’s a whole class of superheavy objects, including asteroids, which could contain these superheavy elements. Some time ago, I introduced the name Compact Ultradense Objects, or CUDOs, for this class.
In a study published in October 2023 in the European Physical Journal Plus, my team suggested some of the CUDOs orbiting in the solar system might still contain some of these dense, heavy elements in their cores. Their surfaces would have accumulated normal matter over time and would appear normal to a distant observer.
So how are these heavy elements produced? Some extreme astronomical events, like double star mergers could be hot and dense enough to produce stable superheavy elements.
Some of the superheavy material could then remain on board asteroids created in these events. They could stay packed in these asteroids, which orbit the solar system for billions of years.
Looking to the future
The Eurpoean Space Agency’s Gaia mission aims to create the largest, most precise three-dimensional map of everything in the sky. Researchers could use these extremely precise results to study the motion of asteroids and figure out which ones might have an unusually large density.
Space missions are being conducted to collect material from the surfaces of asteroids and analyze them back on Earth. Both NASA and the Japanese state space agency JAXA have targeted low density near-Earth asteroids with success. Just this month, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission brought back a sample. Though the sample analysis is just getting started, there is a very small chance it could harbor dust containing superheavy elements accumulated over billions of years.
The Psyche spacecraft has left Earth. It will use the gravitational field of Mars to carry it closer to the asteroid. It will then orbit the asteroid and collect data.NASA/JPL-Caltech
One mass-dense dust and rock sample brought back to Earth would be enough. NASA’s Psyche mission, which launched in October 2023, will fly to and sample a metal-rich asteroid with a greater chance of harboring superheavy elements. More asteroid missions like this will help scientists better understand the properties of asteroids orbiting in the solar system.
Learning more about asteroids and exploring potential sources of superheavy elements will help scientists continue the century-spanning quest to characterize the matter that makes up the universe and better understand how objects in the solar system formed.
Evan LaForge, an undergraduate student studying physics and mathematics, is the lead author on this research and helped with the writing of this article, along with Will Price, a physics graduate student.
“Dandelion.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control’s dozens fo dogs are waiting for new homes.
The Clearlake Animal Control website lists 48 adoptable dogs.
This week’s include “Dandelion,” a female Doberman Pinscher/Mix with a black and brown coat.
“Ninja.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. There is also “Ninja,” a 1-year-old male pit bull terrier with a black and white coat.
The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The 2022 winning Punkin Chunkin team from Kelseyville High School in action. Courtesy photo. EDITOR'S NOTE: The Farm Bureau announced on Saturday, Oct. 28, that this event has been canceled and will be rescheduled for 2024.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — After a smashing inaugural year, Lake County Farm Bureau looks to host its second annual Punkin Chunkin Festival.
This year’s Punkin Chunkin Festival is set for Saturday, Nov. 4, from 11 a.m. until finished at That Ranch.
This thrilling event features trebuchets built by FFA Teams and Open Division Teams in a battle to see who can launch pumpkins the furthest.
Food and beverage vendors including Terped Out Tacos, Scotts Valley 4H famous loaded potatoes, The Noodle Bowl, Grilligans’s Island and Zero Dark 30 Coffee will be celebrating with the participants.
Additionally, pumpkin pies and event merchandise will be available for purchase.
Punkin Chunkin is a true family-fun showcase of mechanical talent and a great way to celebrate the holiday season.
Event sponsors include Epidendio Construction Inc., Evans Realty, Thompson Gas, Bella Vista Farming Co. and Naughty Squirrel Farms.
Tickets are only $10 for event admission. Tickets are available at the gate.
Admission to That Ranch’s corn maze and other attractions are a separate admission fee. Head on out to That Ranch at 4405 Thomas Dr. In Lakeport on Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. to see if this year’s contestants can shatter the record of Kelseyville High School’s 282-foot record launch.
The 2022 Punkin Chunkin champions from Kelseyville High School. Courtesy photo.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County is under a red flag warning this weekend, with forecasters warning not just about high winds and fire weather but frost in higher elevations.
The National Weather Service said the red flag warning for all of Lake County will be in effect from 5 a.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday.
During that time, wind gusts could reach over 30 miles per hour.
The wind advisory will be in effect from 5 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday, and the frost advisory is for the mountains in the northern third of Lake County from 1 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.
The forecast predicts warm daytime weather this week, with temperatures dropping into the 40s at night.
Conditions are forecast to transition back to wet weather later next week, when the first storm system is expected to make landfall.
In Lake County, there will be a slight chance of rain on Wednesday night and on Thursday.
There also are chances of rain on Friday, and more storms also are expected at the end of next week.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Gemini South, one half of the International Gemini Observatory operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, captures the billion-year-old aftermath of a spiral galaxy collision.
At the heart of this chaotic interaction, entwined and caught in the midst of the chaos, is a pair of supermassive black holes — the nearest pair to Earth ever recorded.
The swirling arms of a spiral galaxy are among the most recognized features in the cosmos: long sweeping bands spun off from a central core, each brimming with dust, gas, and dazzling pockets of newly formed stars.
Yet this opulent figure can warp into a much more bizarre and amorphous shape during a merger with another galaxy. The same sweeping arms are suddenly perturbed into disarray, and two supermassive black holes at their respective centers become entangled in a tidal dance.
This is the case of NGC 7727, a peculiar galaxy located in the constellation of Aquarius about 90 million light-years from the Milky Way.
Astronomers have captured an evocative image of this merger’s aftermath using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph, or GMOS, mounted on the Gemini South telescope in Chile, part of the International Gemini Observatory operated by NSF’s NOIRLab.
The image reveals vast swirling bands of interstellar dust and gas resembling freshly-spun cotton candy as they wrap around the merging cores of the progenitor galaxies.
From the aftermath has emerged a scattered mix of active starburst regions and sedentary dust lanes encircling the system.
What is most noteworthy about NGC 7727 is undoubtedly its twin galactic nuclei, each of which houses a supermassive black hole, as confirmed by astronomers using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, or VLT.
Astronomers now surmise the galaxy originated as a pair of spiral galaxies that became embroiled in a celestial dance about one billion years ago. Stars and nebulae spilled out and were pulled back together at the mercy of the black holes’ gravitational tug-of-war until the irregular tangled knots we see here were created.
The two supermassive black holes, one measuring 154 million solar masses and the other 6.3 million solar masses, are approximately 1600 light-years apart. It is estimated that the two will eventually merge into one in about 250 million years to form an even more massive black hole while dispersing violent ripples of gravitational waves across spacetime.
Because the galaxy is still reeling from the impact, most of the tendrils we see are ablaze with bright young stars and active stellar nurseries. In fact, about 23 objects found in this system are considered candidates for young globular clusters.
These collections of stars often form in areas where star formation is higher than usual and are especially common in interacting galaxies as we see here.
Once the dust has settled, NGC 7727 is predicted to eventually become an elliptical galaxy composed of older stars and very little star formation. Similar to Messier 87, an elliptical galaxy with a supermassive black hole at its heart, this may be the fate of the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy when they fuse together in billions of years’ time.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The city of Lakeport has opportunities for the public to become involved in local government by serving on local commissions and committees.
If you have an interest in serving your community, applying for a position on a city commission or committee is a great place to start.
The city of Lakeport invites applications for the following committees and boards:
• the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board, or LFPD; • the Lake County Vector Control District Board, or LCVCD; and • the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, or LEDAC.
These appointments would be effective as of Jan. 1, 2024.
Membership on these commissions and committees is voluntary. If you are interested in serving on a committee, applications are available on the city’s website here.
For additional information regarding the mission and meeting dates of each commission, please see the Maddy Act Notice at the link.
Applications are due by 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6.
Appointments will be made at a special meeting of the Lakeport City Council in early November — the meeting date is to be determined.
For additional information, please contact Deputy City Clerk Hilary Britton at 707-263‑5615, Extension 102, or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
In a significant step towards enhancing road safety in California, the California Highway Patrol is partnering with the California Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, on a new yearlong campaign aimed at reducing impaired driving incidents in California.
The grant-funded “Reducing Impairment Statewide” campaign runs through Sept. 30, 2024.
Driving under the influence remains a critical concern, and this $5.9 million grant represents a critical injection of funding to support the CHP’s ongoing commitment to making California’s roads safer and protecting the lives of all who travel on them.
According to data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, in 2021, 748 people were killed and 12,591 were injured in crashes involving an impaired driver within the CHP’s jurisdiction.
Each one of these injuries and deaths represents a preventable tragedy and underscores the continued need to focus efforts on reducing impaired driving.
“The California Highway Patrol is grateful for the federal funding that has made this initiative possible. Through education, enforcement, and community engagement, the CHP is determined to make our roads safer and reduce the devastating impact of impaired driving,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “I remind all Californians to never get behind the wheel when under the influence of drugs or alcohol and to always make a safe choice when traveling. The life you save could be your own.”
With this funding, the CHP will conduct additional DUI saturation patrols, sobriety checkpoints, and traffic safety education efforts throughout California.
The increased presence of the CHP will be focused on detecting and apprehending drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs while educating the public about the dangers of impaired driving.
DUI can encompass a range of substances, including alcohol, cannabis, impairing medications, illegal drugs, or any combination that affects a driver’s ability to drive, and will result in an arrest for those who are found to be under the influence.
To prevent DUI, the CHP encourages responsible behavior. Always designate a sober driver, take public transportation, or use a taxi or ride-share.
Additionally, the CHP would like to remind the public to call 9-1-1 if they observe a suspected DUI driver. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a location, direction of travel, and vehicle description.
More information about the CHP’s impaired driver enforcement programs can be found on the CHP’s website.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the OTS, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A National Weather Service map showing Lake and other counties across Northern California where a red flag warning will be in effect on Saturdays, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake and several other neighboring counties have been placed under a red flag warning for this weekend due to a forecast of high winds, and Cal Fire said it is staffing up due to increased fire danger.
An offshore wind event is anticipated this weekend with critical fire weather conditions possible, officials said.
The National Weather Service has issued a widespread red flag warning across the entire unit, encompassing Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Colusa, Yolo and Solano counties.
This red flag warning goes in effect from 5 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, through the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 29.
A red flag warning means that critical weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly.
A combination of strong winds and low relative humidity can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
During this event gusts of 45-plus miles per hour may be observed in higher terrain with humidity values dropping into the 10 to 25% range.
In preparation of the red flag warning Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit will have full staffing available with 31 engines, six dozers, six crews, Boggs Mountain Helitack and Sonoma Air Attack base.
Additionally, Cal Fire Northern Region will be dispatching additional resources as needed for this event.
Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit reminds residents to prepare your family, have your emergency supply kit ready, and have evacuation plans in place in the event a fire starts near you.
With Halloween, holiday gatherings and winter fast approaching, state public health leaders on Thursday reminded Californians that a few simple steps can help keep the whole family healthy this winter.
In a briefing with the media, Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH director and State Public Health officer, noted that now is the time to start preparing for cold and flu season by getting vaccinated to reduce the risk of getting seriously ill from the flu, COVID-19 and RSV.
It’s also time to remember tried-and-true prevention measures, including frequent hand washing, wearing a mask if sick or when around other people indoors, and staying home when sick, that help slow the spread of many viruses.
“As more people are heading indoors for school, fitness routines, and festive gatherings, Californians are getting exposed to respiratory viruses,” said Dr. Aragón. “Anyone can be affected by winter illnesses, however, some individuals, including older adults, people with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions, pregnant people and young children are at higher risk for severe illness and death. If you are at higher risk, or have loved ones who are, check with your health care provider now to find out which vaccinations are right for you. It’s important we all do our part by getting vaccinated and taking simple prevention steps so we can all enjoy time with friends and family.”
Recommended vaccines
The best time to get immunized is now, before viruses start to spread. CDPH recommends all individuals remain up to date on vaccines to prevent serious illness and to limit the spread of viruses.
• Flu: Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine annually, ideally before the end of October. • COVID-19: Everyone 6 months and older should get the newly updated COVID-19 vaccine. • RSV: Adults 60 years of age and older should talk to their health care provider about getting an RSV vaccine as soon as it is available in their community. It is also recommended that pregnant persons between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy receive the vaccine between September and January. Additional immunization options are available to protect all infants 8 months and younger and high-risk children between 8 - 19 months.
With all immunizations, CDPH encourages individuals to check with their health care provider to determine which are available for them and their families.
Where to get vaccinated
Flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines can all be administered during the same visit.
Schedule a vaccine appointment by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov or contacting your local pharmacy or health care provider.
Cost of vaccines
Those having difficulty obtaining vaccines can contact their health care provider or local health department for help finding a place to get immunized.
COVID-19 and flu vaccines will continue to be free for most people through their health insurance plans, including Medi-Cal and regular healthcare providers.
The CDC’s Bridge Access Program will provide COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults through December 2024.
The Vaccines For Children, or VFC, program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children (18 and younger) who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay.
Virus prevention
The best defense against winter viruses starts with good prevention. Follow these simple tips to protect yourself and others:
• Stay up to date on vaccines: Vaccines are the best defense against severe illness and death. • Stay home if you're sick: Staying home when you’re sick slows the spread of flu, RSV, COVID-19, and even the common cold. • Test and treat: Test for COVID-19 and flu if you have symptoms (like fever, cold, cough, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, stomach issues). If you test positive, contact your health care provider, and ask about medications. Medications work best when started right after symptoms begin. Learn more about COVID-19 treatments and flu treatments. • Consider wearing a high-quality mask (N95, KN95, KF94) in indoor public places: Wearing a mask significantly reduces the spread of respiratory viruses, especially in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces. • Wash your hands: Wash hands throughout the day with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. • Cover your cough or sneeze: Remember to cough or sneeze into your elbow, your arm, or a disposable tissue to help prevent the spread of viruses. Wash or sanitize your hands and dispose of your tissue after.
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