Many SLO County residents are still unvaccinated. Here’s a look at your town’s rate
San Luis Obispo County is reopening as state coronavirus restrictions end — but how many residents have gotten vaccinated, and how many have yet to get their first shot?
As of last week, 61% of eligible residents — those ages 12 and older — had received at least one dose of the two-shot Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, said Tara Kennon, a county Public Health Department spokeswoman.
Fifty percent of residents have received either both doses or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
“We are continuing to offer vaccinations at Public Health clinics, schools, community events, houses of worship, businesses, work sites and other settings, along with providing factual messaging and answering questions through many media and communication channels,” Kennon said.
Here’s who’s gotten the coronavirus vaccine and which communities throughout the county still have progress to make.
Which communities have the highest vaccination rates?
Many communities’ vaccination rates are similar to the county’s overall number, although some areas lag significantly behind, according to California Department of Public Health data from June 10.
More than 50% of residents in nearly all zip code areas along the coast and in the coastal valleys have gotten at least one COVID-19 shot — and many communities have vaccine rates higher than 60%.
Avila Beach continues to have the highest number of vaccinated residents of any zip code area — 100% have received at least one dose and about 96% have gotten both shots.
The 93401 zip code in San Luis Obispo, where about 74% of residents have received at least one vaccine dose, has the second-highest vaccine rate in the county.
Vaccine rates remain lower in communities over the Cuesta Grade, as well as the zip code closest to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.
Only about 36% of residents have gotten at least one COVID-19 shot in the city’s 93405 zip code, which is near the university’s campus.
In the North County, 49.8% of residents in Paso Robles and Atascadero have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
About 45% of residents in San Miguel have gotten at least one COVID-19 shot, as well as nearly 38% of eligible Shandon residents.
Vaccine rates differ by age and race/ethnicity
Older residents continue to lead the county in COVID-19 vaccines, while children and teens — some of whom only became eligible very recently — have yet to catch up.
About 73% of residents 65 and older are fully vaccinated, and more than 80% have received at least one dose.
More than 69% of residents ages 50 to 64 have received at least one COVID-19 shot, and nearly 60% are fully vaccinated.
About half of residents ages 18 to 49 have gotten at least one vaccine dose, and about 42% are fully vaccinated.
Children and teens — some of whom became eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine in mid-May — have the most progress to make. Only about 33% of residents in that age group have received at least one shot, and 67% have not been vaccinated at all.
Vaccine rates for residents who identify as Hispanic or Latino also trail behind those of white residents — even though they’ve contracted coronavirus at at higher rate throughout the pandemic.
About 51% of white residents have received at least one COVID-19 shot, and more than 43% are fully vaccinated. Among Hispanic or Latino residents, 40.3% have received at least one vaccine dose, and about 32% are fully vaccinated.
This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 9:00 AM.
