Desert Messenger

January 6, 2021 www.DesertMessenger.com 23 Provided by the Desert MESSENGER Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper www.DesertMessenger.com Email: editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 Quartzsite a ri zona 2020-2021 Events Schedul e Tyson Wells Market Centre Oct. - March Vendors on Main Street Oct - April Rice Ranch - Y'all Come Show Oct. - March Hi Ali Swap Meet Oct. - March Desert Gardens Int'l Gem & Mineral Show Jan. - Feb. Prospector's Panorama Jan. - Feb. Tyson Wells Rock & Gem Show Jan. 1 - 10, 2021 55 TH Annual QIA Pow Wow Gem & Mineral Show Jan. 20 - 24, 2021 Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama Jan. 15 - 26, 2021 Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show (Big Tent) Jan. 16 - 24, 2021 Tyson Wells Arts & Crafts Show Jan. 29- Feb. 7, 2021 Gold, Treasure & Craft Show QIA Feb. 12 - 14, 2021 uartzsite a uartzsite a Events Events Tyson Wells Market Centre Subject to change D & B 25 TONS OF LEATHER! 205 W. Main St. & Tyson Wash (behind Dorothy & Toto's Ice Cream) Quartzsite, AZ Open 7 days/week Nov. - mid-March 702-465-5137 BERTHA IS BACK! SCRAP $ 2 LB SCRAP $ 2 LB Leather Belts & Buckles - Craft - Tooling Buffalo - Deer - Elk - Goat Sheep - Cow - with or without hair New Zealand Sheepskin - Tooling Ladigo Texas RV Park DRY CAMPING! Behind Silly Al's Smiley: 928-662-7143 UPDATE: The La Paz County Health Department is beginning PHASE 1A of vaccines to all medical professionals and fi rst responders. With only 400 vaccines on hand right now, they will be beginning the second phase as soon as possible and will keep the public up to date on all the information. Parker, AZ -Along with hospitals around the country, La Paz Regional Hospital received their fi rst distri- bution of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, December 21, 2020. Ma- ria Martinez, RN, CNO, was the fi rst healthcare worker to receive the vac- cine in La Paz County. "We are very relieved to receive this vaccine and provide much needed protection for our health care workers. This pan- demic created many challenges for our organization. Because of the ded- ication of our staff, we have been able to continue to provide the healthcare services our community needs," said Martinez. As an Emergency Depart- ment nurse for many years before her promotion to Chief Nursing Of- fi cer, Maria has been assisting front- line workers these past few months as staff shortages occurred. An advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that top priority go to long-term care facili- ties and health care workers. La Paz Regional Hospital and the County Health Department are meeting on a regular basis to coordinate distri- bution of the vaccine in accordance with these recommendations. La Paz Regional Hospital performed a screening among hospital work- ers to target the members of the workforce at highest risk to receive the vaccine. According to Kevin Brown, CEO, "Not all front-line workers signed up for the vaccine, and we do not require it. However, it is strongly recommended." Currently none of the available vac- cines from Pfi zer or Moderna have FDA approval because they have not undergone the same type of re- view as an FDA-approved product. The FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization once certain criteria were met, which includes that there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives. The FDA de- cision is based on the totality of the scientifi c evidence available showing that the vaccine may be effective to prevent COVID-19 during the pan- demic and that the known and po- tential benefi ts outweigh the known and potential risk of the vaccine. La Paz Regional Hospital received the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. A second dose is required four weeks after the fi rst dose. Staff members who elect to receive the vaccine will receive a vaccination card which will show the date and vaccine type needed for the second dose. Trial results have shown that the shots frequently produce side ef- fects that, while not debilitating, could cause symptoms that might keep someone home for a day or two, such as fever, muscle aches or fatigue. Noting that guidelines call for no more than 25 percent of any unit to be vaccinated at once, Brown said, "We want to make sure that not everybody has the vaccine on the same day so that if there are any side effects, we are able to avoid any staffi ng concerns. We are com- mitted to doing everything possible to end this healthcare crisis, and we are fully prepared to provide assis- tance when the vaccine is available to our communities." For more details: (928) 669-9201 La Paz County receives first vaccines

• Cover