THE number of San Diegans wanting to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus significantly exceeds the total doses that have been shipped to the region to date.
That’s why County health officials are urging San Diegans to be patient and get vaccinated when it’s their turn.
The County has opened four vaccination super stations and operates 15 smaller community points of dispensing, or PODs. While combined they have the capacity to vaccinate 20,000 people daily, the County doesn’t have access to that many daily doses yet to be able vaccinate everyone who wants one.
“Due to the limited number of COVID-19 vaccine doses in the region, County community clinics are continuing to vaccinate only health care professionals and people 65 and older,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “We’re asking San Diegans to be patient and to get vaccinated when more doses are available. Vaccination appointments are only available for the number of doses we have on hand or we know are coming.”
Doctors, pharmacies, community clinics and other health care providers are also working to provide vaccinations to San Diegans in the priority groups.
COVID-19 Vaccines Also Available in Rural Areas
To make the COVID-19 vaccine available to more people who qualify, local paramedics and emergency medical technicians are administering vaccinations in rural communities.
These rotating vaccination clinics are part of Operation Collaboration, an effort involving about two dozen fire and emergency services agencies including CAL FIRE and San Diego County Fire Protection District. Fire agencies are also helping to vaccinate people in long-term care facilities.
The clinics, which started this week, will take place in rural communities such as Ramona, Julian and Jamul.
All County vaccination super stations and PODs require appointments and can be made at vaccinationsuperstationsd.com.
People 75 and over and who do not have access to a computer or someone to assist them may dial 2-1-1 for appointment assistance.
Also, County-funded community health workers, known as promotoras, will be reaching out to people 75 and older directly to help them make vaccination appointments.
The Metropolitan Transit System is offering free rides to people with proof of a vaccination appointment.
To date, more than 586,000 COVID-19 doses have been delivered to the region. Of those, more than 357,000 have been administered, including more than 58,000 San Diegans who have received two doses and 10.2 percent of the population over age 16 who have received at least one dose.
More information about vaccine distribution can be found on the County’s vaccination dashboard. (By José A. Álvarez, communications specialist, County of San Diego Communications Office)
