1,200 essential workers get first COVID vaccine dose in Merced County KFSN The health department felt it was important to reach out to a hard-hit population. "...Because of the number of cases that we've seen among agricultural workers and also, the disproportionate number of deaths that we've seen among Latinos in general but in particular farm laborers," said Merced County Health Officer Dr. Salvador Sandoval. About 1,200 people received their first Pfizer dose at the mobile clinic. Many of them have friends, even family members who became severely ill with the coronavirus. "Your heart goes out to these folks who have lost loved ones and I think this is the step in getting us back to normal," said Merced County Supervisor Scott Silveira.