Santa Clara County making it easier for seniors to get vaccinated
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - The Santa Clara County Department of Public Health is accelerating the process of administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Beginning on Thursday, seniors who want to sign-up to get their shots can do so at any provider in the county.
"Our effort to get more and more folks vaccinated requires simplicity and clarity," said District 5 Supervisor Joe Simitian.
County officials said the process to vaccinate people 65 and older has been confusing since its roll-out last month. Even some healthcare experts have had a hard time navigating a labyrinth of information.
"I’m very knowledgeable and I have a very hard time getting the right information about who’s taking patients. At what point, and at what age and when I can go?," said Dr. Mark Schwartz, a San Jose State University biotechnologist.
People visiting COVID vaccination sites in the county are often met with long lines and confusion. But those problems could dissipate dramatically under the new "No Wrong Door" policy.
A flood of potential vaccine recipients at private and public health care providers necessitated the change.
"Over the last three weeks, it’s become clear from looking at the numbers and talking to the other health systems that the multicounty entities did not get a sufficient amount of doses to take care of their patients," said Santa Clara County Executive Dr. Jeff Smith.
Officials said so far 37% of people 75 and older have received their first vaccination shot and only 28% of those 65 and older.
"People that don’t think this pandemic is for real—it’s real. Get vaccinated," said Dennis, a vaccine recipient who waited in line at the county’s Berger Drive site.
The number of those partially vaccinated could increase dramatically now that anyone 65 and older can make an appointment to receive a dose anywhere in the county with either a private or public provider.
"The only way to process a large number of people as fast as possible is to open as many avenues as possible for them to get vaccinated," said Schwartz.
The county health officer said areas most vulnerable to infection, as well as communities of color, are priorities in their effort to get everyone protected as quickly as possible.
"Our challenge now is to roll out as efficiently and as effectively as we can to get those vaccines into the arms of those who are most vulnerable and most likely to die from this infection," said Santa Clara County's top health official Dr. Sara Cody.
The county is hoping to get more doses from the state to increase vaccination rates. Officials said they’re slated to receive 6,000 doses per day. They want to up that amount to 15,000 per day.