Vaccine rates stagnate as COVID surges in SLO County. How is your town doing?
Amid the summer surge in COVID-19 cases, San Luis Obispo County’s weekly vaccination totals have doubled in recent weeks from their low point in July — but the number of people who’ve received both of their shots still lags behind statewide totals.
And while August’s vaccination numbers have been better than those in July, they are well below rates that would make a dent in the total of those who remain unvaccinated.
A look at the number of vaccine doses administered each week shows a near flat line of meager demand in recent months.
Overall, about 60% of county residents eligible to receive coronavirus shots — those age 12 and older — were fully vaccinated as of Monday, according to Public Health Department data.
That’s an increase of just 2 percentage points from July 25, when 58% of all eligible residents were fully vaccinated.
Nearly 66% of people statewide are fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported. That means the county’s current total is about 6 percentage points behind the rest of the California.
About 69% of eligible county residents have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and nearly 32% of people remain unvaccinated as of Monday.
Public Health clinics see vaccination increase amid COVID surge
COVID-19 cases throughout the county have continued to climb during the summer as the highly contagious Delta variant has become the dominant strain of the virus.
On Tuesday, the county reported a four-day total of 460 coronavirus cases and five new deaths.
Hospitals have also begun to feel the strain of the local surge, with intensive care unit numbers rising to the highest levels seen during the worst of the pandemic in January. Nearly 85% of ICU patients are being treated for COVID-19, according to the latest report on Tuesday.
As more and more people have contracted COVID-19, the number of local residents seeking vaccines from the county Public Health Department has increased slightly after hitting a low point toward the end of July.
In the week of July 26-30, the county administered 296 coronavirus shots. That number jumped up to 542 vaccinations the week of Aug. 2-6, and the county gave more than 600 COVID-19 shots during both of the following weeks.
But that’s still far below the spike in demand seen in March and April, when Public Health first opened up vaccines to new age groups and the agency’s clinics were administering more than 10,000 doses per week.
These numbers don’t include shots administered at pharmacies and private medical offices. But they do show demand has likely increased as COVID-19 has worsened locally and as Public Health has expanded its mobile clinics and offered more vaccine incentives.
Fully vaccinated residents by zip code
Between 60% and 70% of eligible residents in some county zip codes are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to CDPH data reported on Tuesday. But other zip codes lag 20 to 30 percentage points behind — especially those in the North County.
State vaccine data reflects all residents who’ve gotten shots, including those who’ve gone to Public Health clinics, pharmacies and private medical offices.
The 93424 Avila Beach zip code, where 100% of residents are fully vaccinated, continues to lead the county. About 72% of residents in the 93401 San Luis Obispo zip code are fully vaccinated, as are about 68% of Cambria residents.
Public Health officials have said the 35% full vaccination rate in San Luis Obispo’s 93405 zip code area is likely the result of students using their home addresses when they receive their shots, creating an artificially low number.
Most of the North Coast and South County zip codes have full vaccination rates within the 60% range. Oceano, Grover Beach and San Simeon — where about 54% to 55% of residents are fully vaccinated — lag behind other communities in the region.
North County communities continue to struggle to push their vaccine rates up. Templeton’s 93465 zip code is the only one in the region where 60% of residents are fully vaccinated.
Just over half of people — 50% to 51% — are fully vaccinated in Paso Robles’ 93446 zip code area and Atascadero’s 93422 zip code area.
Even fewer people are fully vaccinated in very rural North County communities. Nearly 41% of people are fully vaccinated in Shandon, as are 45% of people in Creston, 47% of people in San Miguel and 49% of people in the Santa Margarita-Pozo area.
Younger teen, 18- to 49-year-old vaccination rates lag
County residents under 50 continue to lag behind in vaccine rates — including many who’ve been eligible for about five months.
Many county teens and young people — about 45% of those ages 12 to 17 — remain unvaccinated, CDPH data shows. Teens and preteens under 16 became eligible for vaccines in mid-May, about a month after all adults could get their shots.
About 41% of 18- to 49-year-olds remain unvaccinated, even though they’ve been eligible for shots since April. Just 51% of people in this age group are fully vaccinated.
Comparatively, 67% of residents ages 50 to 64 are fully vaccinated, as are 78% of those 65 and older.
Where to get a COVID-19 test and schedule a vaccine appointment
Free coronavirus testing is available at clinics in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing or call 888-634-1123 to register by phone.
The county Public Health Department is currently administering coronavirus vaccines to everyone age 12 and up.
Those eligible to receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can register online or by phone for California’s My Turn appointment system. The county Public Health Department is also administering vaccines on a walk-in basis at clinics in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Grover Beach.
To find appointments, visit MyTurn.ca.gov and complete the registration process. Those who need assistance registering for a vaccine can call 833-422-4255 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday.
To learn more about vaccines offered at the three clinics, or to find out about mobile and pop-up clinics near you, visit RecoverSLO.org/en/when-and-where-can-you-get-vaccinated.aspx. To sign up for email alerts, visit EmergencySLO.org/en/newsletter.aspx.
Residents can also find appointments for coronavirus vaccines through private health partners and some chain pharmacies, including CVS and Vons. To find shots at pharmacies near you, visit Vaccines.gov.
This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 3:26 PM.
