County COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Merced, Los Banos reach capacity for this week

The Merced County Department of Public Health announced Sunday that it will host COVID-19 vaccination clinics this week in Merced and Los Banos.

The county will host the clinics Jan. 20-22. Only those who meet criteria under Phase 1A — which includes healthcare providers and workers, residents in long-term care settings, home health care and in-home supportive services workers, and paramedics and EMTs — and those 65 and older are eligible, according to a Merced County news release.

Not long after the announcement was made Sunday, county officials said they had reached capacity on the number of people signed up for this week.

That county said it will administer the limited supply of the vaccines to eligible individuals by appointment only. Registration will be done through the county’s newly launched website and additional vaccination sites and plans will be activated as more of the vaccine becomes available.

Due to the state’s vaccine distribution formula, Merced County said it has received fewer doses than neighboring counties at this time. County officials are advocating for larger quantities and have successfully secured additional doses of the vaccine, according to the release.

“The shortage of vaccines is a nationwide issue and is not unique to us locally,” Dr. Salvador Sandoval, Merced County’s public health officer, said in the news release. “We continue to ask everyone to be patient as we work toward securing additional doses of the vaccine to serve the needs of our community.”

Merced County has a total of 975 doses of the vaccine that are available to be administered through public health vaccination clinics.

The county also announced the launch of the “Vaccinate Merced County” website, which will serve to inform the public of COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts, as well as communicate with eligible individuals. Included in the website is a “Vaccine Interest Survey” allowing users to answers questions, determine their vaccination category and sign up to receive notification when they become eligible to be vaccinated, according to the release.

Those who are currently eligible for the vaccine may be notified directly through their care providers or employers. Soon eligibility will expand to include additional community groups, according to the county.

“COVID-19 is a battle that we’re fighting hard to overcome, and now we have to finish strong,” Merced County Board of Supervisors Chairman Daron McDaniel said in the release.

“In the process of putting these tools and communications in place, we’ve heard from our constituents. They can be assured that they will know when they’re eligible to be vaccinated and how they can receive a vaccination. They can also be assured that the Board is placing the highest priority on getting these vaccine doses available as quickly as possible,” he said.

The website will serve as a way for the county to communicate with members of the public and inform them of when they become eligible during future phases of the vaccine distribution. The county is currently in Phase 1A of the distribution plan, meaning the county, in accordance with updated state guidelines, will begin to vaccinate seniors 65 years and older this week.

According to the county, the website can be used by those in Phase 1A as well as seniors 65 years and older, to register for priority vaccination information and additional instructions. Those who are eligible to be vaccinated at an upcoming clinic will receive a link to the state of California registration site, according to the release.

The county said it will periodically update the “Vaccinate Merced County” website as information becomes available or changes are made to vaccination eligibility criteria. Individuals using the website to receive a vaccination are required to attest to submitting correct information that will be validated by documentation at the vaccination site, according to the county.

Community volunteers can also sign up through the website to assist with vaccination efforts. Additional information regarding COVID-19 vaccines can be found at the county’s website.

This story was originally published January 17, 2021 at 3:16 PM with the headline "County COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Merced, Los Banos reach capacity for this week."