County expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to more groups
More frontline workers and medically vulnerable residents can now get the vaccine in SLO County
More frontline workers and medically vulnerable residents can now get the vaccine in SLO County—An additional 40,000 San Luis Obispo County residents can now get the COVID-19 vaccine, as the county today expanded vaccine eligibility at the recommendation of the SLO County Vaccine Task Force, according to the San Luis Obispo County Health Department.
Workers in the education & childcare, food & agriculture, and emergency services sectors are now eligible, along with those with certain high-risk medical conditions or disabilities and caregivers providing in-home care to elderly or medically vulnerable residents.
“We are thrilled to now offer vaccines to these vulnerable residents who have waited patiently for their turn,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer. “This is an important milestone for our community. I encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated as soon as you can to protect yourself and help end the pandemic.”
The county has enough vaccine supply to administer 5,500 first-doses next week at one of the county’s vaccine clinics in Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo. Eligible community members can sign up for their first dose through the county’s vaccine appointment registry and, as appointments become available, will be matched with an appointment. Eligible community members can also check with other local vaccine providers for appointments.
SLO County residents who are eligible based on their work will be asked to bring a form of identification and a recent pay stub to verify employment in their sector. Those who are eligible because they are medically vulnerable will be asked to self-attest to their specific high-risk medical condition or disability. These conditions have been identified by the California Department of Public Health based on risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19.
“As a county, we have been able to expand eligibility gradually based on risk,” said Dr. Borenstein. “I thank our local task force for their guidance as we continue to move forward so that our most vulnerable community members can get the vaccine.”
Currently, eligible community members can now sign up for a first-dose vaccine appointment through the county’s vaccine appointment registry RecoverSLO.org/VaccineAppointments or by calling the county’s phone assistance center at (805) 543-2444. Appointments are also available at some local pharmacies.
For updates on COVID-19 in SLO County, visit ReadySLO.org or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at (805) 788-2903. A staffed phone assistance center at (805) 543-2444 is available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist with questions related to COVID-19.
- Follow all Paso Robles COVID-19 coronavirus news updates
- San Luis Obispo County COVID-19 website – readyslo.org
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