Stanislaus County relaxes restrictions on COVID vaccines. Who’s eligible now?
Adults of any age who work in education, food and agriculture and other sectors in the Phase 1B priority group are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations in Stanislaus County.
The county Health Services Agency announced the change in a news release Wednesday, saying most of the people older than 50 in Phase 1B have been vaccinated. The change took effect immediately.
The Phase 1B eligibility includes employees in education, childcare, food, agriculture and emergency services. Seniors age 65 and older remain eligible.
The county estimated more than 150,000 residents are eligible for coronavirus vaccine in the first two phases. The county has free vaccination clinics in Modesto, Turlock, Oakdale and Patterson.
The county is also working on mobile clinic options and closed dispensing points to bring vaccine to high-risk populations and as many residents as possible, the news release said.
Kamlesh Kaur, a county spokesperson, said the age restriction for Phase 1B was reassessed after fewer people arrived for the public clinic Wednesday at Stanislaus State University in Turlock.
“We did not really have many lines today,” Kaur said. “We think most people who were eligible over 50 have been vaccinated. We do have educators who are under 50 who need to be vaccinated.”
The county has offered COVID-19 inoculations to school employees at its public clinics as well as at vaccine events that are closed to the public.
Removing the age requirement will also allow the county to offer vaccine to more people working in childcare centers, Head Start and after-school programs, Kaur said.
Wednesday’s news release said that vaccine supplies remain limited, but county officials are optimistic about significant increases in supply in the next several weeks.
As the supply grows, community members should have an easier time getting the shots from health care providers and drugstores, the county said. In addition, OptumServe is running a coronavirus vaccine clinic by appointment at the neighborhood center at Marshall Park in west Modesto.
Kaur said the county has 5,860 doses for its public clinics this week. Here are details for the county clinics through Saturday:
— Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Modesto Center Plaza, 1000 L St., first dose only.
— Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Gladys Lemmons Senior Center, 450 East A St., Oakdale, second dose Moderna.
— Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, Hammon Senior Center, 1033 W. Las Palmas Ave., Patterson, first and second doses.
— Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Gladys Lemmons Senior Center, 450 East A St., Oakdale, first dose only.
— Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Stanislaus State University, 1 University Circle, Turlock, first dose only.
The clinics are first-come, first served for Stanislaus County residents or those who work in the county.
Information about coronavirus vaccine is available at www.schsa.org. The county also provides updates on vaccination clinics and the coronavirus pandemic at the Stanemergency.com Facebook page.
This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Stanislaus County relaxes restrictions on COVID vaccines. Who’s eligible now?."
