500 farmworkers to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Santa Maria as county preps mass vaccination site in Lompoc

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Santa Barbara County Public Health and a group of local organizations on the Central Coast have set up a second vaccine pilot program for farmworkers to receive their second COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso said the health department has been working to reach out to farmworkers to help with the process.

"We reached out to all them [farmworkers] and have scheduled the appointment times," said Do-Reynoso.

The farmworker COVID-19 vaccine pilot program is Sunday at 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Santa Barbara County Clinic in Santa Maria.

"We have structured the clinic to be bilingual, bicultural, and in addition to make sure we have the Mixteco interpretation," said Do-Reynoso.

Organizations like Herencia Indigena and CAUSE will be on site this weekend.

In addition, Santa Barbara County Public Health will launch a seven-day mid-county mass COVID-19 vaccination site in Lompoc. It will be located at the Dick DeWees Community and Senior Center beginning Sunday.

"We are going to offer up 1,350 appointments a day, so we are hoping to vaccinate about 9,450 appointments for the 7-day altogether," Do-Reynoso said.

This will be the first time the department will have a vaccine site in one location for an entire week.

For more information about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in Santa Barbara County, click here.