by Kimberly Rivers
Small Business Grant Application
The application window for the current round of $5,000 small business grants is March 31-April 6 at 6 p.m. This round of funding is for businesses that did not receive funding in previous rounds. Nonprofit and for-profit businesses with a physical address in Ventura County that can demonstrate they were negatively impacted by the pandemic and have an annual gross revenue between $25,000 and $2.5 million are eligible. Details and other eligibility requirements are online at vcbusinessgrants.org.
COVID numbers continue downward
On Friday, March 26, the county reported 82 new COVID cases for the previous day, and on Monday, March 29, 116 new cases were reported for three days in 12,045 tests.
Three people (aged 58, 66 and 70) died over the weekend from COVID-19.
Just over 18% of the population in Ventura County is fully vaccinated, with just over 37% of the population having received their first dose.
Free rides to vaccination appointment for seniors
The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging is coordinating free rides to vaccination appointments for seniors in need.
Older adults with disabilities who are homebound or otherwise unable to get transportation to their vaccine appointment can receive door-through-door transportation, which includes lift assist and gurney transportation. The driver will assist the person in getting in the vehicle and into the vaccination site, wait for them, and take them home.
You must have a vaccination appointment before a ride is scheduled. To schedule a ride, call 805-477-7300.
Second dose appointment window
Public health officials are emphasizing that the 21 or 28 day “waiting period” window required before a person receives their second Pfizer or Moderna shot, respectively, is the minimum wait time for the second dose. It is not the deadline for the second shot.
The second dose is meant to be given after the 21 or 28 day waiting period, and as people become eligible for their second dose, they will be notified that they can now make an appointment. Those in Ventura County who have already received their first dose can make their second-dose appointment, when eligible, through the county-run system at www.vcrecovers.org or by calling 805-477-7161.
Testing continues, important for county metrics
Ventura County continues to emphasize the importance of testing even as more residents are eligible to be vaccinated.
County-run drive-up testing sites that do not require registration are:
- Fillmore: Family Medical Group, 828 W. Ventura St., Fillmore; Open Wednesdays only
- Ventura: Ventura County Fairgrounds, Shoreline Drive, Ventura; Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
County-run testing sites that require registration at www.vcrecovers.org are:
- Moorpark: MoorparkCollege, 7075 Campus Rd., Moorpark; Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Oxnard: Oxnard College, 4000 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard; Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Santa Paula: Harding Park, 1400 Harvard Blvd., Santa Paula; Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
State-run testing locations require registration by calling 1-888-634-1123 or online at www.lhi.care/covidtesting:
- Oxnard: Blackstock Junior High School, 701 E. Bard Rd., Oxnard: 7 days a week, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Oxnard: Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Thousand Oaks: Conejo Valley Unified School District, 1336 Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks; Wednesday-Monday (closed Tuesdays), 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Newbury Park: Thousand Oaks Library, 2331 Borchard Rd., Newbury Park, 7 days a week, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Check www.vcrecovers.org for daily pop-up testing schedule.