San Luis Obispo County health officials are hoping to make it easier for residents to schedule their second vaccine appointment.
Health officials say thousands of SLO County residents are eligible to get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at one of the County's three mass vaccination clinics.
Those who are eligible can now schedule their second dose appointment on Wednesdays. Community members who were first vaccinated at one of the county's clinics can use this online second dose date calculator to identify when they are eligible to get a second dose.
Second dose appointments can be made up to one week in advance. The appointments open every Wednesday morning by 9 a.m. for the following week.
As of April 2, nearly 62,000 people received their first dose at one of the County's clinics and more than 24,000 are awaiting their second dose, according to a press release from public health.
"Completing your vaccine series provides the highest level of protection from COVID-19 and can help us end the pandemic," said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer.
Previously, residents were asked to wait to hear from the County Public Health Department before booking their second dose. This process has now changed to make it easier for residents to schedule their own appointments at the appropriate time.
Community members who need a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine can book their appointment three weeks after their first dose, while those who received the Moderna vaccine can book their appointments four weeks after their first dose.
Health officials say getting the second dose later than this is not harmful and does not require re-starting the series.
Sign up for your appointments hereor by calling the Phone Assistance Center at (805) 543-2444.