SLO County now has 7,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine. Here’s who will get them
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department is planning to vaccinate more local frontline health care workers for the novel coronavirus after nearly tripling its supply of doses.
The county now has 7,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines available.
All San Luis Obispo County health care workers who currently provide direct, in-person clinical care and “are not already set to get the vaccine through an employer or pharmacy partnership” can sign up for appointments to get the vaccine from the county Public Health Department, according to a news release.
“This vaccine is critical to protecting our health care workers as COVID-19 surges in our community,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein, SLO County’s health officer, said in the release. “This protects them and the people in their care.”
The county Public Health Department administered its first five vaccines on Dec. 18 to first responders including a firefighter, nurses and an emergency room doctor.
On Monday, the county expanded eligibility for the vaccine to include specialty care providers such as medical specialists and those working in optometry, chiropractic care, podiatry,and occupational and physical therapy, as well as lab workers, dental office employees and pharmacy staff.
More than 1,300 local frontline health care workers have been vaccinated in San Luis Obispo County, the county said, including first responders, dialysis staff, primary and urgent care clinicians and home health workers.
According to the release, hospitals are vaccinating their own staff members, while CVS and Walgreens are starting to vaccinate long-term care facility staff and residents. The state is vaccinating health workers in facilities such as California Men’s Colony state prison in San Luis Obispo and Atascadero State Hospital.
Essential workers and people in vulnerable populations will likely get vaccinated in February or March as supply allows, the county said.
“I recognize that many more people in our community, including our medically vulnerable neighbors and our essential workers, are also ready for the vaccine,” Borenstein said in the release. “I wish we could bring the vaccine to everyone in SLO County who wants it today. We are working swiftly to vaccinate our frontline health workers first, then the many other important and valued people in our community.”
For updates, visit emergencyslo.org/vaccines, subscribe to San Luis Obispo County’s COVID-19 Updates emails or follow the county Public Health Department on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
For more information, call the recorded Public Health Information Line at 805-788-2903 or visit www.ReadySLO.org. A phone assistance center is staffed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 805-543-2444.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 9:51 AM.
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