Fewer vaccines come into county this period
About 12K doses received compared to nearly 30K the previous reporting period
Only about 12K doses received compared to nearly 30K received the previous reporting period.
SALINAS >> As the Monterey County Health Department was expecting, the amount of COVID-19 doses to the county hit a slump in the March 15-22 reporting period with only 11,820 doses received, representing a 9.72% increase from the previous week.
The previous one-week reporting period from March 8-15 showed the county received 29,100 additional doses marking a 31.47% increase week-over-week.
Last week, Monterey County Health Department spokeswoman Karen Smith said the vaccine supply had stalled a bit but added, “Nationwide there will be a lot more in April. It’s a good reminder that those that become eligible outpace the amount of vaccine, but we will get there.”
But as many more Monterey County residents receive the vaccine, the dip in supply affects vaccination providers.
“When Monterey County receives fewer doses from (California Department of Public Health), vaccinating providers receive a proportionally smaller allocation,” said Smith.
The county’s vaccination web page continues to stress that appointment availability is limited and based on the supply of vaccine currently available.
“Monterey County Health Department recommends vaccinating providers not schedule clinics until doses have been received,” said Smith.
According to the county health department, it is also recommending that vaccination providers prioritize second-dose appointments before scheduling new first-dose appointments.
The Monterey County Health Department is not notified in advance of the amount of vaccine it will be allocated.
But as more clinics and other outlets for vaccination have been utilized, the county stands at having a quarter of residents 16 years old and older at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19.
As of March 22, the proportion of Monterey County residents 16 years old and older who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine as documented in the California Immunization Registry stands at 28%.
The county health department is working with local health care providers to vaccinate residents with allocation and distribution moving in phases. The California Department of Health determines the number of doses allocated to Monterey County based on the population of those eligible.
Currently, Monterey County individuals eligible for vaccination include health care workers, longterm care residents, emergency services personnel, residents 65 years and older, all people at risk of exposure working in food, agriculture, childcare, education and emergency services, those who are 16-64 years of age with a medical condition or disability that puts them at high risk for illness or death from the coronavirus, residents or workers in incarceration and detention facilities, homeless people, homeless shelter workers, behavioral health facility
residents and staff, and public transit, airport and commercial airline workers.
Vaccine supplied to medical providers and other vaccinating agencies in Monterey County include, Acacia Family Medical, Big Sur Health Center, California Forensic Medical Group, Central Coast VNA and Hospice, Clinica de Salud, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Doctors on Duty/Salinas Urgent Care, Mee Memorial, Monterey County Clinic Services, Natividad. Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, and many others.
Some providers such as Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas and Monterey Clinic Services also receive a portion of vaccine from the federal allocation.
Federally Qualified Health Centers, such as Clinica de Salud, receive a supply of vaccines designated for food and agricultural workers directly from the federal government.
On Tuesday, the GrowerShipper Association acknowledged that after the fifth Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas and GrowerShipper clinic is completed, about 12,000 essential workers in the agriculture workforce will be vaccinated.
“Now, with the harvest season in the Salinas Valley soon upon us, we can continually vaccinate farm workers as they arrive in our region,” read a statement in part from the Grower-Shipper Association.
As of Tuesday, there were 42,734 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Monterey County. Three more people are hospitalized bringing the total to 28, and the death rate remains steady at 337.
An estimated 108,815 doses of COVID-19 vaccine has been administered in Monterey County according to the California Immunization Registry.