Santa Clara County officials announced Thursday that all county residents age 65 and older can be vaccinated against COVID-19, regardless of their insurance or health care provider.
The “don’t go wrong” strategy is set up to ensure that the most vulnerable residents in the county receive a vaccine as quickly and easily as possible.
“The state’s complex vaccine distribution and allocation system, combined with the shortage of vaccine supply, has led to an uneven deployment of vaccines across the county depending on where they receive their medical care,” he said Dr. Jeff Smith, county executive, in a statement. “The ‘don’t go wrong’ approach we are implementing is designed to get the vaccines available in arms as quickly and equitably as possible in order to save lives.”
According to the county, 81% of COVID-19-related deaths in the county have been people 65 years of age or older.
“We need to prioritize vaccination for people at increased risk of death or serious illness,” Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s health officer, said in a statement. “We look forward to vaccinating a much wider segment of the population and are willing to do so as soon as the supply of vaccines allows.”
County residents are encouraged to visit sccfreevax.org to arrange vaccine appointments.