on weekends.īut by the end of April, the clinic should stay open into the evening on weekends, according to Rocio Luna, deputy executive of Santa Clara County. Overfelt High School, for instance, is only open until 3 p.m.
MARYLAND COVID VACCINE HUNTERS REGISTRATION
“With more predictability, we’ll also be able to address barriers of access, such as transportation and registration support, and to respond with information specific to any resident’s concern,” a San Mateo County spokesperson wrote in an email.Ĭommunity leaders in East San Jose have reported similar issues of limited and scattered access.
In San Mateo County, where officials have relied on pop-up vaccine clinics in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by COVID-19, ever-changing clinic schedules and locations have made it difficult for some residents to catch up.Ĭounty officials say they plan to “offer more predictable, regular, locally accessible clinics that give residents more time and flexibility to participate” as more vaccines arrive in the coming weeks. While Bay Area health departments and community organizations have been working to eliminate vaccine barriers for low-income residents and communities of color, that push will be heightened in the coming weeks and months. Residents who qualify can book an appointment at 40 or priority for health care providers is reaching communities that are most vulnerable to the disease but lack resources and equitable access to vaccines. To be eligible, residents must show they can’t leave home without crutches, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, special transportation or help from someone else. Like most Bay Area counties, Santa Clara County now offers an in-home vaccination program where residents who qualify can get vaccinated either by a public health nurse or a member of the local fire department inside their own home.
“The overall thrust of the state’s vaccination effort is going pretty well, thanks to a maturation of the system and a steady supply, but we’ve still got to get a lot more people fully vaccinated before we get there,” said George Rutherford, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco. To reach the herd immunity needed to get the upper hand on the pandemic, a significant portion of the population must become immune to the coronavirus. Eager Bay Area vaccine hunters have driven hundreds of miles, added their names to lengthy waitlists and refreshed appointment web pages dozens of times a day - all so they could snag what shots are available whenever and wherever.Īnd as of Monday, most of those people are among the 55.7% of California adults 18 and older who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.īy and large, they weren’t the ones who had to be swayed to get a shot.īut if the goal of herd immunity is to be reached, the next phase of the state’s massive vaccination effort could prove a taller order - ensuring hard-to-reach communities are reached and convincing the hesitant that vaccines could save not only their lives but also those of friends, family and fellow community members.
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