Want to get the coronavirus vaccine? Keep checking for appointments, SLO County says
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department is asking all who are eligible for coronavirus vaccines to keep a lookout for appointments more regularly.
The county had been releasing the following week’s vaccination availability on Thursday mornings. However, as of Monday, vaccine appointments will be posted more frequently, according to a county news release.
“As we get more vaccine shipped to us, and as people cancel existing appointments, more appointments will become available,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in the release. “We encourage those who are age 75 or older, or are in Phase 1a, to visit our website on weekday mornings or call us to check for available appointments.”
According to the county, first-dose vaccine appointments will be posted around 9 a.m. on weekdays as they become available.
The county hopes to extend vaccinations to residents ages 65 and up in the coming weeks, according to the release.
The county will notify people who have received their first dose of the vaccine when they may book appointments for second doses.
Second doses of COVID-19 vaccines must be given at least three weeks after the initial doses.
“Limited vaccine supply also means that second-dose appointments may be delayed, but not for long,” Borenstein said in the release. “We hope to move quickly through this part of Phase 1b and extend eligibility to those 65 and older in the coming weeks.”
How many people has SLO County vaccinated?
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department had received a total of 25,576 first and second doses of Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines as of Jan. 29, according to the county.
During the week of Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, the county received 1,000 second-dose vaccines and 1,916 first-dose vaccines.
According to the county, 15,511 people have receives coronavirus vaccines from the county Public Health Department — and 3,171 have received both their first and second doses, as of Jan. 29.
The county’s information does not include doses sent to or administered by other vaccine providers in San Luis Obispo County, including Dignity Health, Tenet Heath Central Coast and CVS.
An additional 5,000 first dose vaccine appointments are currently scheduled for this week, according to the county.
How to register for a coronavirus vaccination appointment
The county Public Health Department is only administering vaccines to people in Phase 1A and Phase 1B — health care workers, skilled nursing facility employees and people age 75 and older.
Vaccines are administered at three sites throughout the county: San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande.
Appointments can be made online at RecoverSLO.org/VaccineRegistration.
They can also be made via phone at 805-543-2444. The county’s Phone Assistance Center is now available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Residents can also receive email alerts about vaccinations by signing up at EmergencySLO.org/en/newsletter.
If you need transportation to your vaccination appointment, call RTA Runabout at 805-541–2544 or Ride-On at 805-541-8747 to schedule a no-cost roundtrip ride.
This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 3:15 PM.
CORRECTION: The article has been updated to reflect that 25,576 total vaccines have been given to the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department.
