Vaccine Distribution Update

Public Health Officials continue the monumental task of getting Santa Barbara County residents vaccinated. This would be ambitious under normal circumstances but due to limited vaccine availability the mission has been much more challenging.

More than 80,000 vaccines and counting have been administered in Santa Barbara County.

Currently residents ages 75 and older, health care workers, long care term staff and residents are still being vaccinated.

With the arrival of additional vaccine supply, first dose vaccine appointments will be available at Public Health vaccination sites for Santa Barbara County residents that are Emergency Services Workers, Grocery Workers, and Phase 1A Health Care Workers. Special outreach for separate clinics for Educators, Childcare, and the Agricultural/Food Industry are also taking place. 30% of the county’s vaccine allocation will be utilized for people in these sectors. Vaccine supply remains very limited.  

The Public Health Department is working with the Santa Barbara County Education Office, local private schools, and partners in the childcare sector to provide targeted opportunities for educators and childcare providers to be vaccinated. First priority will be given to Special Education teachers and those working with medically fragile students.

Eligible residents that are Emergency Services Workers, Grocery Workers, and Phase 1A Health Care Workers can schedule appointments for Public Health vaccination sites here: https://publichealthsbc.org/covid-19-vaccine-appointment-registration/. For assistance with appointment registration, those eligible can reach out to the County Call Center by calling 2-1-1 and selecting option #4. This line is available 7 days a week between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For those 65 years of age and older, vaccine appointments will become available in the coming week at local pharmacies, health care providers, and hospitals.

For information about the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine.

The next group in line for vaccine eligibility will be the following sectors: transportation/logistics, industrial, commercial, residential, sheltering facilities and services, critical manufacturing, and congregate settings with outbreak risk.

At this point, Public Health is coordinating with some primary care providers to immunize their own patients. If are you are a patient at a County or Community Health Center, your health center will contact you about scheduling when the vaccine is available to you.

If you are eligible for a vaccine appointment and want to sign up, click here.

Vaccination Sites in Santa Barbara County

Those registered for an appointment should bring:

  • Documentation with your name on it. Does not need to be a government-issued ID.
  • Proof of Santa Barbara County residency

Thank you to everyone involved in helping vaccinate Santa Barbara County.

Recently the state launched MyTurn.ca.gov, an online vaccination appointment and notification platform. The system is not expected to go live in Santa Barbara County until March 31st.  When it is ready, individuals will be able to sign up for a notification when they become eligible for an appointment, schedule an appointment, and be reminded when it is time for a second dose. Although it is not live yet, to register go to https://myturn.ca.gov/.