STOCKTON, Calif. —
A free and easy way to get supplies to help you stay healthy this flu and COVID season.
With holiday gathering around the corner, some people might want to have masks, sanitizers and COVID tests on hand.
For some in Stockton, that's exactly what they'll find at the Montezuma Fire District thanks to a special vending machine.
“It's worked very well and the public is taking it very well,” said Edward Martel, fire chief for the Montezuma Fire District.
It offers free masks, sanitizer and COVID tests.
Martel said their vending machine has a transmitter to tell the company supplying it that it's running low on supplies.
However, even if the machine isn't available, Martel said the supplies always are.
“If we have individuals that are coming late at night and we're not able to facilitate them, we leave them literally out in a box outside of the session,” said Martel.
According to San Joaquin County Public Health Services, case rates are currently stabilizing, down from the recent summertime surge.
Officials said since most people test at home these days, they don't follow the case rates as much as wastewater rates and new hospital admission rates.
Recent data from the county shows 22 new hospital admission and a test positivity rate of 4%.
“One thing that's probably the best thing of having these vending machines at the station, it's a direct contact for our staff. If they believe they may have COVID or something, even during the shift. They can access the one right away," said Martel.
San Joaquin County Public Health has two more locations for these specialized vending machines. One is at their building on East Hazelton and another at the county human services agency on East Washington Street.
Beyond having masks and sanitizer to stay healthy, doctors are also urging everyone six months and older to get COVID and flu shots.
They're calling on vulnerable populations, mainly older people, to get the RSV vaccine as well.
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