Santa Clara County’s weekly vaccine allotment less than expected

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Officials in Santa Clara County are calling it a "supply crisis." There are simply not enough vaccines to meet demand. And they say this week their allotment from the state was even less than expected.

Still, they are opening new mass vaccination sites, hopeful things will improve.

"Give our county, our community, the vaccines that we need for the community that so obviously wants it," pleads San Jose City Council member Maya Esparza.

And Friday, people lined up to get it. The county's newest vaccination site, in partnership with Stanford, is at the Aloha Roller Rink in East San Jose.

But the grand opening was marred, by the county's vaccine shortfall.

"It is a supply crisis. Absolutely," says Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, Santa Clara County's Testing and Vaccine Officer.

Not only do they need more doses over all. They need more of specific kinds.

This week, Santa Clara County received less of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine than expected, getting 7,500 doses of Johnson and Johnson instead.

This presents a problem for those getting second shots.

"So we are basically looking through all of our inventory, moving things around, talking to our other partners in the community to at least make sure that all of those who got a first dose, get a second dose on time," says Fenstersheib.

And while the state is setting aside 40% of the vaccine supply for underprivileged areas, this site in Santa Clara County's hardest hit zipcode, isn't one of them.

So Aloha is offering only 500 doses a day, hoping to eventually ramp up to 2,000 a day.

"We're building that infrastructure, while we're waiting for that vaccine to get here," says Cindy Chavez of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

Right now in Santa Clara County, no new appointments can be made for the week of March 7th through March 13th. But they are trying to honor all existing ones. Places like Aloha are still taking walk ups.