Bill Would Boost Funding For Valley Fever Vaccine Research
“Valley fever has been reported from almost every county in California, but 75 percent of cases have been found in people who live in the Central Valley and that is alarming,” Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, said.
The Bakersfield Californian:
Assemblyman Seeks Valley Fever Funding, Overhaul Of Reporting Guidelines
Responding to a surge in cases and inconsistent reporting practices, Assemblyman Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) introduced legislation Tuesday that would allocate millions of dollars to valley fever vaccine research and streamline information sharing. Assembly Bill 1279 would bring $2 million to an already-established state fund for valley fever vaccine research and create guidelines for how local, state and federal agencies report cases...he bill’s introduction comes in response to the Center for Health Journalism Collaborative's years-long reporting series “Just One Breath,” which has exposed inconsistencies in how valley fever cases are tallied among local, state and federal health care agencies and highlighted the lack of attention and funding the disease receives compared to others. (Pierce, 2/21)