COVID Vaccines: Marin County Says 80% Have At Least 1 Dose; Same-Day Shots Available
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) – Officials in Marin County announced that same-day and next-day COVID-19 vaccinations are now available, as the county touted that more than 8 in 10 eligible residents have received at least one dose.
As of Friday, 80.5% of Marin residents 16 and older have received their first vaccine shot while 52.5% have completed their vaccine series, one of the highest rates in California. The county said about 47,000 eligible Marin residents are still unvaccinated.
"For the first time, we're seeing some unfilled appointments in the coming days. If you've been waiting your turn, it's now," said Dr. Matt Willis, the county's health officer.
Officials said many health providers are now offering drop-in locations with no appointment necessary. The county's public health department has also partnered with community based organizations to offer pop-up vaccination sites.
"We've made a lot of progress together, and we're all taking steps to remove any last barriers to access," said Dr. Mitesh Popat, the CEO of Marin Community Clinics.
Willis said while the high vaccination rate in Marin is encouraging, the county has not yet reached the level of immunity to prevent outbreaks.
"Everyone who gets vaccinated moves us one step closer to putting this pandemic behind us. But we're not there by a long shot," he said.
Marin County is currently in the Orange Tier. An expected move into the least-restrictive Yellow Tier of COVID-19 restrictions has been delayed until May 4 at the earliest due to a rise in cases, which has been attributed to travel over spring break.