Line for COVID Vaccine Stretches North on Cedar. Only ’50 More Cars’ Allowed by mid-Morning.

Cedar Avenue in northeast Fresno became the epicenter for thousands of people hoping that Tuesday was the day they could get the first of their two COVID-19 inoculations at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics Center on Spruce Avenue.

A long line of cars was idling on the southbound curb lane but hadn’t turned west onto Teague Avenue as Sierra Pacific and Fresno police had agreed for the new traffic pattern that started Tuesday.

Last week the lines of cars stretched along Spruce, Millbrook, Alluvial and Cedar avenues, all heading to the vaccination site at Sierra Pacific.

Fresno police, who are coordinating with Sierra Pacific, said at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the corner of Cedar and Teague avenues that there would be enough vaccine Tuesday for about 50 more cars. A patrol car with sign will signal the end of the line, they said.

A police cadet speaks to a motorist about the COVID-19 vaccine line on Cedar Avenue Tuesday morning. (GV Wire/Nancy Price)

Allergic Reactions Reported

Sierra Pacific announced on its Facebook page that the center’s inventory does not include a batch of Moderna vaccine that has been linked to allergic reactions among patients in some parts of California, causing some providers to stop administering the vaccine.

Clinica Sierra Vista is pausing all public vaccinations of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine at its Fresno and Kern County locations until further notice or until new supplies arrive following guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

Kern County Public Health Department received 3,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from a batch that may have caused severe allergic reactions in a handful of people at a San Diego vaccination site.

As of now, LOT #041L20A is the only supply of Moderna vaccine Kern County Public Health has left at this time. Clinica Sierra Vista received 1,100 doses of LOT #041L20A.

“CSV wants to assure patients who received a Moderna COVID Vaccine on January 18th did not receive a vaccine from this shipment,” they said in a Facebook statement.

All patients who had set up an appointment will be rescheduled, and those individuals will be prioritized when vaccine is made available.

Adventist Health in the Central Valley confirms they did receive Lot 041L20A of the Moderna vaccine. “Fortunately, none of the healthcare workers who received this lot of the Moderna vaccine experienced any adverse reactions,” said Adventist Health Hanford communications manager Amanda Jaurigui. The hospital has since paused use of this specific lot and put the doses on hold.

New Traffic Pattern Created

Sierra Pacific, which set up an inoculation site in the parking lot of the Spruce Avenue center last week, resumed vaccinations at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Officials reported on Sierra Pacific’s Facebook page that drivers will need to conform to the new traffic pattern and not try to access the site from westbound Spruce Avenue or other streets.

Sierra Pacific has 1,000 doses for Tuesday and is limiting inoculations to health care workers and residents who are 75 and older. Patients should bring an ID and insurance card, and may download the screening and consent form here. The vaccine is free of charge.

Vaccinations also are being administered at the Fresno County Fairgrounds. Patients need to register online for an appointment. The vaccine at the fairgrounds is produced by Pfizer and also is a two-shot vaccination.

Traffic map for Sierra Pacific Orthopedics vaccinations. (Facebook)