SAN DIEGO — California began allowing seniors over the age of 65 to receive a coronavirus vaccine starting Wednesday. However, counties like San Diego are still waiting to receive enough vaccines for everyone who was ahead of them in line, such as healthcare workers.
The following is a Q&A about the recent changes and how it affects San Diego County residents:
I’m over 65. When can I get my vaccine?
The short answer is nobody knows. Every hospital system in San Diego County told News 8 they are waiting to receive doses for seniors and will notify patients when they’re available.
“We need people to be exceedingly patient, not because people aren't doing everything they can to get the vaccines out, but because the vaccines have simply not arrived,” said Supervisor Nathan Fletcher.
The county will continue to update its website with information: www.vaccinationsuperstationsd.com
How will seniors likely get vaccinated when more doses are available?
The county suggested its sites will remain exclusively focused on Phase 1A recipients, such as healthcare workers. Seniors will likely work with their healthcare provider to get their dose.
“I would strongly encourage the public to not have everyone immediately call your health care provider today because it's highly unlikely they have sufficient quantities,” said Fletcher.
When will more vaccines arrive?
“We expect more vaccines to arrive soon, but we don't know when and we don't know how many. We don't know which ones,” said Fletcher.
The county is setting up new vaccination sites that will eventually be used for seniors and other members of the public as we go through the different phases. The next supersite is expected to open in February somewhere in the South Bay. Two others are also planned elsewhere in the county.
The county hopes to give 5,000 doses a day at each site. Remember, everyone needs a second dose either 21 or 28 days after the first, depending on whether they received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
Are any of the hospital groups vaccinating seniors?
Not yet. Scripps, Sharp, Palomar and Kaiser told News 8 they’re waiting for more vaccines.
How many vaccines have arrived? How many have been given?
241,825 doses have been shipped to the county as of Jan. 11. At least 92,305 doses have been given. However, this may not show the whole picture.
The number of doses that have been shipped and given does not reflect doses sent to the Department of Defense, Veteran’s Affairs, Kaiser Permanente, some tribal entities and prisons because they do not report to the San Diego Immunization Registry. Even those that do report to the SDIR have 14 days to upload data so there is a lag in getting updated information.
I’m a healthcare worker or member of Phase 1A. How can I get vaccinated?
How can I find out what phase I’m in?
San Diego County’s vaccination phases are listed here on the county website.
What’s the plan to vaccinate people in other phases and tiers?
San Diego has about 3.3 million people. The vaccines will be offered to the 2.7 million San Diegans age 16 and older because neither Pfizer nor Moderna are approved for anyone younger than 16.
The initial goal is to vaccinate 70% of the eligible population or 1.9 million people by July 1, 2021.
The county expects to vaccinate 250,000 by the end of January. Since everyone requires two doses of the vaccine, the county needs to vaccinate 23,434 people per day between Feb. 1 and July 1 to meet its goal.
The county will host several vaccine events and expects at least four superstations. There are plans to use mobile vaccine teams, health systems and centers in the region, pharmacies and city partnerships.
There are also a still-unknown number of vaccines that will be given by the federal government through its health centers, the Department of Defense, Veteran’s Affairs and the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program.