COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Ventura County as hospitalizations reach record numbers

VENTURA, Calif. - The first round of COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in Ventura County.

They arrived in Ventura County on a day where the county reported record numbers of hospitalizations and ICU stays.

Karen Beatty, Hospital Systems Coordinator for the Ventura County Public Health and Emergency Medical Services, said front line workers have been waiting all year to finally have a COVID-19 vaccine.

"This day is very exciting for us, it's very emotional," Beatty said during Ventura County's weekly coronavirus news briefing. "We have worked tirelessly over the last few months."

Four volunteer health care professionals appeared on stage during the weekly news briefing. They were among the first people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Ventura County.

The vaccines arrived on a somber day for Ventura County health officials. Ventura County is seeing a steady increase in cases, hospitalizations and ICU stays. County Public Health Director Rigoberto Vargas said more deaths are likely to come in the near future.

The ICU availability in Ventura County is below 5%, short of the state's required 20% level. The Southern California region, which includes Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, has an ICU availability of 0.5%