As demand for COVID-19 vaccinations slows, Santa Barbara County is partnering with willing local organizations and businesses to bring vaccines straight to community members in need.
“To increase vaccine access, we have formed five mobile teams available to provide 50 to 300 Moderna vaccinations on-site at work sites, housing facilities, places of worship, warehouses, and at community organizations,” Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said at a press conference on April 23. “It is a very easy registration process and we will assist the community partner.”
Although Santa Barbara County’s COVID-19 case rate decreased by more than 40 percent in the two weeks leading up to April 23, Do-Reynoso said vaccinations continue to be essential in the fight against the virus. A little more than 40 percent of the county’s residents had received at least one dose of a two-dose regimen as of April 23, according to Do-Reynoso, but just 27 percent of the county’s population had been fully vaccinated at that time.
Vaccination appointments remain readily available countywide, and public health officials say some appointments are going unfilled.
While some community members are adamantly opposed to COVID-19 vaccines or are still undecided, others may not have easy access to vaccine appointments at community clinics due to long work hours, child care conflicts, or lacking transportation.
Jackie Ruiz, a spokesperson for the county Public Health Department, said mobile vaccination clinics can help eliminate those obstacles. They’re being used nationwide in some form or another to bring vaccines directly to those most in need, according to the CDC, including those in groups at high-risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19, seniors, and those living in rural areas.
“These mobile clinics allow Public Health to meet the community where they live, work, play, and worship,” Ruiz wrote in a statement to the Sun. “This is a fundamental public health strategy in the delivery of any health services. By taking away the barrier of access, getting vaccinated becomes an easier choice to make for our community.”
Although Ruiz said the county has been using mobile clinics in some form since vaccines were first rolled out in late 2020, the county launched its community-wide mobile vaccine program on April 15. Since then, she said the mobile vaccine teams have administered 3,253 shots.
Through the program, mobile teams offer up to a few hundred vaccine appointments per location and automatically schedule dates for both first and second doses. The teams, which consist of administrative staff and nurses, offer bilingual services and, although they can travel anywhere in the county, three are based in North County, one is in mid county, and another is based in South County.
Pretty much any organization, business, or group can host a mobile clinic (those interested can get more information on registration at mobileclinic@sbchd.org), as long as it can help to identify people willing to get COVID-19 vaccines; has space inside or outside to conduct vaccinations; and can provide tents, tables, chairs, and water for the post-shot observation area.
The mobile teams are slated to host several vaccination events throughout the county in coming days, where health officials say walk-ups are welcome.
This article appears in May 6-13, 2021.