How the booster shots will roll out

Bay Area health infrastructure is prepared this time

In early summer, when demand for coronavirus vaccine was low, Santa Clara County health officials closed the public vaccination clinic at Mountain View Community Center, a site that on its busiest days was administering 1,000 shots a day.

This month, after the Biden administration began signaling booster shots could begin Sept. 20, county officials reopened the clinic and added others to accommodate a potential uptick in demand — not only from people seeking boosters, but also for children 5 to 11 years old who are poised to become eligible as soon as October. The two anticipated developments, plus seasonal flu shots going out around the same time, means a new wave of people could soon be lining up for shots.

“In some ways we’re entering a perfect storm,” said Dr. Jennifer Tong, associate medical chief of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, the county’s largest public hospital. “Without a doubt there’s going to be a need for all health care entities to be prepared for those aspects of vaccination which will be ahead of us in the next few months.”

Tong and other Bay Area health leaders are planning for the coronavirus booster rollout, which seems likely to begin with third shots for Pfiz