Santa Clara County officials announced on Thursday that all county residents age 65 and older can be vaccinated against COVID-19, regardless of their insurance or health care provider.
The “no wrong door” strategy is in place to ensure that county residents who are most vulnerable to the virus receive a vaccine as quickly and easily as possible.
“The state’s complex vaccine distribution and allocation system, combined with a shortage of vaccine supplies, has led to an uneven distribution of vaccines across the county, depending on where people get their medical care,” said the county executive. , Dr. Jeff Smith, in a statement. “The ‘no wrong door’ approach that we are implementing is designed to put available vaccines 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 were people aged 65 and over.
“We must prioritize vaccinating those most at risk of death or serious illness,” said county health officer, Dr. Sara Cody, in a statement. “We are looking forward to vaccinating a much wider segment of the population and are ready to do so as soon as vaccine supplies allow. “
County residents are encouraged to visit sccfreevax.org to schedule vaccine appointments.