Latest on Sacramento’s COVID vaccine supply as rollout priority shifts to older Californians
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 California Department of Public Health on its vaccine tracker reported Tuesday that providers had administered 2,587,736 out of about 4.7 million that have been distributed to hospital systems and local health departments, an increase by 150,232 from the total reported Monday. About 186,000 additional doses are marked as “ordered” but not yet shipped.
The state reported an increase of about 116,000 between Sunday and Monday’s updates, after averaging increases of a little over 175,000 per day from Thursday through Sunday. All those rates are big increases from earlier weeks in the rollout, but it remains unclear what portion of recent growth comes from data reporting improvements, as opposed to shots actually going into arms.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday that California had administered 2,446,577 of the more than 5.3 million doses allocated by the federal government through Monday. That’s 6,192 doses for every 100,000 residents, which ranks 13th lowest among the 50 states and D.C.
CDC’s daily updates show California’s administered dose count increasing by about 116,000 from Monday to Tuesday. It grew by about 131,000 from Sunday to Monday.
More than 2.05 million have received one dose and at least about 386,000 have received both doses in California, according to the CDC. Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines are two-dose regimens, taken three weeks and four weeks apart, respectively.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Monday that state health officials will focus vaccine prioritization mainly based on age, rather than occupation, going forward in an effort to make the process more simple and efficient. However, some categories of essential workers included early within Phase 1B will continue to get the shots before they are made more widely available.
California is also launching a program called “My Turn” that will let Californians sign up for text or email alerts to notify that they are eligible to get the vaccine.
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.
El Dorado said last week it expects to receive 2,375 doses this 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.
This week, Kaiser clarified that “very limited” supplies mean the hospital system is still prioritizing those 75 and older.
“State guidelines expanded to include (ages 65 to 74), but supply is still very limited,” a portion of Kaiser’s COVID-19 vaccine website now reads. “As more supplies become available to meet this need, we’ll send you a letter or email with instructions for scheduling your appointment. You don’t need to contact us. We’re starting with adults 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 has started “pilot vaccination clinics” for Mercy Medical Group patients ages 75 and over and is planning additional clinics to “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 26, 2021 at 8:42 AM.
