FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2021
County Health System Has Administered 32,352 First Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine;
Mass Vaccination Sites Open at Berger Drive and the Fairgrounds
Santa Clara County, CA – County officials announced today that Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is now administering COVID-19 vaccines to more than 6,000 County residents per day at multiple sites throughout the County, including mass vaccination sites at Berger Drive and the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. The County Health System alone has administered 32,352 first doses and 6,594 second doses to eligible healthcare workers and individuals age 75 and older in the county as of January 14, 2021. With the significant expansion of capacity this week, the County Health System is on track to vaccinate more than 30,000 residents per week.
This hopeful news comes as healthcare systems throughout the county continue to expand capacity and ensure that eligible individuals receive the vaccine expeditiously with new shipments arriving each week. This week, the State of California authorized all healthcare systems statewide to vaccinate any persons age 65 and older, in addition to continuing vaccinations for healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities. Following State priority phases and tiers, each healthcare system determines which categories of eligible patients they have the capacity to vaccinate at any given time. These decisions are generally based on their current supply of vaccine, and the number of patients they have the capacity to vaccinate each day. The County does not determine vaccine eligibility.
In Santa Clara County, all healthcare systems are vaccinating healthcare workers eligible under Phase 1A, and some have expanded eligibility to include individuals 75 and older, while Kaiser Permanente is now offering limited vaccine appointments to individuals age 65 and older. The latest updates on vaccine eligibility and how to schedule an appointment is available on the County’s website at sccfreevax.org.
County officials continue to urge adherence to all social distancing and mask protocols as the vaccines are rolled out to more and more individuals.
“Your individual actions matter,” said County of Santa Clara Supervisor Otto Lee. “Together we can help change the course of the pandemic as we wait to reach a high level of vaccine coverage and protection throughout our community. Today is an exciting day with the announcement of this significant expansion in our capacity to provide vaccinations by Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Together we will see the end of this pandemic. Please continue to maintain social distance, wear a mask whenever you leave your home, and stay home except for essential activities. I thank the community for your strength and collective action to protect your neighbors and yourselves.”
The County’s website at sccfreevax.org is the official source for vaccine-related information in Santa Clara County, and is regularly updated to reflect which community members are currently eligible to receive the vaccine, as well as how those individuals can schedule appointments.
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