The County of San Luis Obispo will close three mass vaccination clinics in Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo on June 4, according to a recent press release.
Vaccine administration will continue to happen via mobile, pop-up and regular County Public Health clinics in several parts of San Luis Obispo County, according to County Public Health Spokesperson Michelle Shoresman.
In an email to Mustang News, Shoresman wrote that the mass vaccination clinics require many more staff members and other resources than would be necessary at their public health clinics.
The county, so far, has administered more than 151,687 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine since December 2020.
At their public health clinics, they will not be able to vaccinate thousands of people per day like they have been at Cuesta, the Fairgrounds and South County Regional Center, Shoresman said.
“Now that demand has slowed and there are a variety of other places people can get vaccinated, it’s time to turn these facilities back over to the entities that own them for their other potential uses,” Shoreman said in an email.
Currently, the university is providing vaccines on campus to students, employees and other local community members via a Rite Aid clinic in the University Union (UU).
According to Cal Poly Spokesperson Matt Lazier, the UU will begin offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which only requires one dose, to everyone 18 and older from May 11 to May 15 and May 20 to June 5.
The university is also providing vaccines through the Health Center on campus, available there to students only, which will now only be offering second doses, primarily to students who obtained their first dose there, Lazier said.
In a campus-wide email sent out today, the university provided a link to a waitlist where students can sign up if they received a first dose of Moderna or Pfizer from a provider other than Campus Health and Wellbeing.
Lazier said any community members who receive first-dose shots at the county clinics after May 14 can obtain a second shot through local pharmacies.
“Local pharmacies are an option for students to receive both first and second doses,” Lazier said in an email to Mustang News. “The overarching message to students should be that there are opportunities available both on and off campus, and we strongly encourage them to take part now.”
Scaling back mass vaccination sites will now allow the County to refocus resources on mobile vaccine clinics to serve those who faced barriers in visiting the stationary clinics, Shoresman said.
With some exceptions, the stationary mass vaccination sites have been open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which according to Shoresman, can be difficult for people who work during the day.
“Our new approach, hosting more mobile and pop-up clinics, will meet people where they are,” Shoresman wrote. “This will be especially helpful for people without transportation that couldn’t get to our sites before.”
With the increase in private pharmacies and other providers such as Community Health Centers (CHC), Shoresman said there will be sufficient locations in the county to meet vaccine demand. However, if residents can get to one of their three mass vaccination sites before they close, it is still the easiest and free way to get vaccinated.
To schedule a free first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, residents can visit myturn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255 to make an appointment. For residents who receive their first dose of the vaccine from the County after May 14, they must get their second dose from a regular Public Health clinic or pharmacy.