Edhat Staff
By edhat staff
Santa Barbara County is making plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccination within the next few weeks once it’s available.
During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso detailed the upcoming process and procedure on who will be vaccinated first and how.
Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna are expected to receive emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the next few weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the California Public Health Department (CDPH), vaccine prioritization will take place due to the initial limited supply in two phases.
Phase 1a will include vaccinations of health care workers and first responders at hospitals, clinics, and pre-determined public health locations referred to as PODs. Pending allocation, this is expected to begin in mid to late December. Phase 1b will include older adults living in congregate or crowded settings and individuals with the highest risk for severe illness. This is expected to begin between mid-December to January 2021 at long-term care facilities and PODs.
Santa Barbara County’s Public Health Department (PHD) estimates the county has over 20,000 health care workers in hospitals, skilled nursing and congregate living facilities, home health, hospice, and outpatient clinics. Additionally, there are nearly 2,000 first responders with the fire and police departments as well as ambulance services.
Phase 2 will include non-healthcare essential workers, people in congregate settings, and all other older adults. The time frame is currently aimed at mid-March or mid-April 2021 and will be available at community PODs.
PHD formed a COVID-19 Vaccination Workgroup with local healthcare providers to receive and administer the vaccine when available. The department now plans to set up a call center, develop staffing and logistics for distribution sites, and confirm support from cities.
Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg addressed any hesitancy about receiving the new vaccine and stated the Pfizer option is being reviewed by the FDA so there isn’t a lot of public information available yet. But once there is he said he’ll make sure the community is well informed on the facts and new developments.
COVID-19 Data in Santa Barbara County
Do-Reynoso stated the county is seeing a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, testing positivity rates, and hospitalizations in the past two weeks.
From November 16-30, there was a 10% increase in cumulative case count, 61% increase in active cases, 154% increase in hospitalizations, and 2% increase in deaths.
The areas seeing the biggest case increase are Santa Barbara with a 61% jump and Lompoc with 47%.
The occupations with the most positive cases continue to be clerical/management, followed by those under 18 years of age, and retired/unemployed.
Do-Reynoso stated an increase in hospitalizations can occur quite rapidly as data shows hospitalizations increase two to three weeks after an increase in cases.
More data can be found at https://publichealthsbc.org
“Phase 2 will include non-healthcare essential workers, people in congregate settings, and all other older adults. The time frame is currently aimed at mid-March or mid-April 2021 and will be available at community PODs. ”
As a 55-year-old, I have to wait until May or later before I get a shot? (I’m assuming I’m Phase 3 at best.) Are you kidding me? It’s pathetic and ridiculous that we can’t ramp up the production of the vaccines.
Biden needs to implement the Defense Production Act to get the vaccine moving faster.
I suspect private profit (competition between private pharma companies and arguments over the division of spoils) is slowing the distribution of the vaccine.
Loose, your frustration is understandable. All of us are in suspended lifestyles at best, in risk of death, disability or severe illness at worse, until a vaccine in universally available. A new administration will be sworn in to lead the United States out of the current mismanaged/ not managed Covid pandemic response, and President elect Biden has already pledged to invoke the Defense Production Act to rapidly respond to the need for vaccines, PPE and other aid to health providers. It will take time, but at last there is hope. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-20/biden-eyes-more-muscular-use-of-defense-law-to-boost-ppe-output
Disappointing to see the Trumpians pile on Biden before he has even started his job, and was prevented from getting an early start by the Repubs. If you keep up the extremist tactics of the last 4 yrs, our republic will be the loser. I hope all of your friends and relatives act just like Trump. That would be a fitting punishment.
DOULIE – who do you think is pulling Biden’s “strings?”
Give me a break pit, like you weren’t a complaining and griping Never-trumper from the moment you found out he won and probably even before that. Puhleeeez. No dem or lib was out there saying “let’s just give him a chance.” Lmao, nice try.
Skeeter, it’s because Trump is the president and anything associated with him is bad, wrong, or could have been done better. So even though this the fastest a vaccine has ever been created, tested and manufactured, if only anyone else was president it could have been done faster, with a higher effective rate, less side effects, etc….
The vaccine was not created due to the lame-duck US president. This was a global effort.
This is a huge undertaking. And Biden can’t do diddly until after Jan. 20.
Yacht…right, then we’d have a lot more in common. Bahahahah.
Biden can’t do “diddly” until the people pulling his strings tell him what to do.
3:31, Libs live in your head rent free 24/7
So many voices!
LOOSE – Myself, I’ll just wait until the vaccine is proven effective & without significant side effects on a large majority of the vaccinated population. If COVID gets me, that’s on me. Is it wise to have (all) essential people vaccinated at one time?
Loose, dunno if you know this but Biden isn’t the president yet so he can’t really do anything? But I agree with you, he should invoke it, when he becomes president. For PPE, that is, not meat or poultry like Trump did.
HZ – Must, first providers be required to take the vaccine? I refer you to the HEADLEY 6:50am comment. Also, a question I submitted. Is it wise to have (all) essential people vaccinated at one time?
I won’t get it. I’m 50+ and my parents are 80+. We isolate and have been doing just fine. Is that wrong?
Let’s just leave it at “Biden can’t do diddly” period.
It’s a gamble, but might pay off. The longer this goes on, the more frustrated people will ignore the rules, and the chancier it will get to go out for groceries. Watch the hospital rates and decide where you will go if you need emergency surgery and there are no beds at your local hospital.
Wow!
Not cool, BASICINFO !
Apparently there are many people on this community board that have differing opinions; that is fine. To be able to speak freely and openly is a luxury. Please don’t call anyone an “idiot”.
Thanks.