Vaccine rollout increases, but supply limited in California, Sacramento. Here’s the latest
California is weeks into a mass vaccination campaign to bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, administering tens of thousands of shots a day.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Sunday that California had administered 2,199,908 of the more than 4.9 million doses allocated by the federal government through Saturday. That’s 5,568 doses for every 100,000 residents, which ranks 12th lowest among the 50 states and D.C.
California’s administered dose total has increased by 396,229 since Friday’s CDC update, for about 198,000 per day.
The California Department of Public Health on its own vaccine tracker reported Monday that providers had administered 2,437,504 out of about 4.56 million that have been distributed to hospital systems and local health departments, an increase by 115,693 from the total reported Sunday. About 360,000 additional doses are marked as “ordered” but not yet shipped.
The state reported an increase of 526,097 doses administered from Thursday through Sunday’s updates, or an average of a little over 175,000 per day. That’s a big increase from earlier weeks in the rollout, but it was not clear what portion of the growth is from data reporting improvements, as opposed to shots actually going into arms Friday and the weekend.
State health officials are considering prioritizing vaccine administration mainly based on age, rather than occupation, in an effort to both simplify and speed up what they acknowledge has been a frustrating process.
At least about 1.84 million Californians have received one dose and about 356,000 have received both doses, according to federal data. Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines are two-dose regimens, taken three weeks and four weeks apart, respectively.
Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, the director of CDPH, said last week there is a “big push” underway to improve data systems, including an improved dashboard including more specific information on vaccine administration by geographic region or county. That newer dashboard was not up and running as of Monday morning.
Here is the latest on vaccine distribution in the Sacramento area.
Sacramento health offices, clinics
These are direct allotments to local health departments, according to each county. CDPH has not yet provided its own county-by-county breakdown of allocations.
Counties in which multi-county hospital systems, such as Kaiser Permanente or Sutter Health, have little or no presence may be receiving larger allocations relative to their populations, which are then distributed down to hospital systems that only operate in a single county.
Most county health offices are splitting their direct allocations between their own county-run clinics, non-chain hospitals and other partners, including some Safeway pharmacies.
Sacramento
▪ Phase: 1A (front-line health workers; long-term care residents)
▪ Received: 16,350 doses, as of Jan. 14.
▪ Administered: 15,115 doses (92% of received).
Dr. Olivia Kasirye, the county’s health officer, told The Bee that last week’s original allocation of just 975 doses was a mistake; the state ultimately cleared the way for another 5,700 doses.
Sacramento County is slated to get about 13,000 doses this week, Kasirye said.
El Dorado
▪ Phase: 1A and 1B (adults 65 and older; essential workers in some sectors).
▪ Received: 16,700 doses, as of Thursday.
▪ Administered: Not reported.
County officials haven’t reported a total for doses administered, but El Dorado said in a Facebook post Thursday afternoon that all 16,700 doses are “spoken for” — given from the health office to clinics, Safeway pharmacies, hospitals and other partners.
El Dorado says it will receive another 2,375 doses next week.
Placer
▪ Phase: 1A; 1B in “extremely limited supply.”
▪ Received: 14,525 first doses and 8,750 second doses, as of Jan. 8.
▪ Administered: Not reported.
Placer says its county-run clinics and partnering Safeway pharmacy vaccination clinics are each “in the process” of updating web portals to reflect that those ages 65 and older are eligible to make appointments.
Yolo
▪ Received: “Around 6,050 first doses and 4,450 second doses,” county spokeswoman Jenny Tan said in a Monday video briefing.
▪ Administered: 5,331 first doses (88% of received) and 1,456 second doses (33%), as of last Friday.
Hospital systems
UC Davis Health says on its website it has vaccinated more than 11,000 of its employees and students. It started vaccinations for adults ages 75 and older two weeks ago.
On its website last week, UC Davis Health said it would begin making appointments for those ages 65 to 74 “once everyone who wants a vaccine” in the 75-and-over group has received one. The system says it will follow CDC and CDPH guidelines.
Kaiser Permanente said in an update to its patient website two weeks ago that it had “limited” vaccine appointments available for health workers; long-term care residents and staff; and those age 65 and older. But in an update to the Kaiser website early last week, the 65-or-older category was no longer listed as eligible for appointments.
Kaiser on Thursday evening updated its website again, advising patients ages 65 through 74 that “supplies are extremely low” and that the hospital network is “starting with those 75 and older.”
Sutter Health is continuing to schedule appointments for patients age 75 or older.
Sutter Health on its website says it is “prioritizing patients who are highest risk according to government guidance.”
Dignity Health said it started “pilot vaccination clinics” for Mercy Medical Group patients ages 75 and over last week and is planning additional clinics this week, “and will expand access to patients who are 65 and older with high-risk medical conditions.”
Mercy Medical Group says it will be proactively contacting patients who meet these criteria.
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 10:19 AM.
