Vaccinating the masses is underway in California, but Kern County continues to lag behind almost all other counties in its vaccination rates, as it has since the start of the vaccine rollout more than two months ago.
An analysis of cases in 50 ZIP codes in Kern by The Californian shows that rural valley communities surrounding Bakersfield — many of which are home to prisons, farmworkers and some of the county's most impoverished pockets — were hardest hit.
How did a county that ranks 11th among California counties in population end up with the second-highest COVID-19 case rate per capita in the state?
This story was produced as part of a larger project led by Kerry Klein, a participant in the USC Center for Health Journalism's 2018 Data Fellowship....
Recently signed legislation capped a big year for efforts to combat a regional disease long overlooked by lawmakers.
The antifungal drugs used to treat valley fever can cause hair loss. With the number of valley fever cases on the rise, a wig shop in Bakersfield, Calif., is helping women feel better about themselves.
Facing pushback from the medical community, California Assemblyman Vince Fong withdrew a bill late last month that would have required doctors to order specific types of lab tests when they suspect valley fever.
Bakersfield Assemblymen Vince Fong and Rudy Salas submitted a $7 million budget proposal that, if approved, would be the largest amount of money California has ever designated to research and raise awareness of the disease.
Bakersfield lawmakers requested $3 million in the state budget last week to research treatments and conduct outreach for valley fever.
Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, will introduce two bills Wednesday aimed at combating valley fever, the orphan disease which infected Californians at epidemic levels last year.
