SLO County quickly fills up all first dose vaccination appointments for next week

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department has announced all appointment slots for first dose vaccinations next week have been filled.

On Thursday, the county opened registration for 1,900 slots at 9 a.m.

Within less than an hour, all of the slots were booked up.

Later in the day, the county announced on social media, it had received an unexpected additional shipment of Pfizer doses and was opening up more available appointments.

The county did not disclose how many extra doses it had received, but announced on Friday morning all of those slots were filled as well.

All first dose vaccinations will be administered at the county's Cuesta College site, while second doses will also be provided at Cuesta, plus at sites at Arroyo Grande High School and Paso Robles Event Center.

As of Friday morning, all spots for second doses next week at Arroyo Grande are full, while some spots remain in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles.

On Wednesday, Public Health announced it was opening vaccination eligibility to people age 65-years-old and up.

It acknowledged that demand for the age group will far exceed supply numbers.

"That's the problem we've been facing since the very beginning of the vaccine distribution is that we have gotten far less doses then we would be able to give out," said Michelle Shoresman, Public Health Department spokesperson. "We know that the 65-to-74 age group is about 38,000 and we've gotten 1,900 doses for next week, so you can tell that's a pretty significant deficiency that where we would like to be."

Due to the unpredictability with vaccinate allotments, county officials admit it will likely take several weeks to vaccinate everyone in the newly opened age group.

"I think patience is the key word, and it has been since the beginning of this pandemic, whether it's sheltering at home, or getting a vaccine," said Shoresman. "We are definitely trying to get vaccines in arms as quickly as we possibly can, but as long as the supply is low, we're all going to have to be as patient a little bit. There will eventually be enough vaccine for everybody who wants it."

As the supplies remain low, the county is asking people to perhaps consider waiting a little longer if they feel they have the ability to do so.

"If you are 65-and-older, and you are able to continue to shelter at home, and you don't have any other high risk individuals in your household, you might want to wait a week or two to sign up for your vaccine appointment because those vaccine appointments right now, we really need them to go to the people who are at the highest risk," said Shoresman.

For more information on San Luis Obispo County vaccination efforts, visit RecoverSLO.org.