Santa Barbara County public health officials are providing more details about who is next on the list to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Following California state guidance, both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties will begin to vaccinate some education and childcare workers next week.
After a weather delay last week, vaccine distribution stands at 87% in Santa Barbara County with anticipation to be fully caught up by next week.
Healthcare workers, long term care facility residents, those age 65 years and up are still eligible to get the shot, but a new group will be able to sign up for appointments starting next week, according to Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso.
"We are going to expand our vaccination efforts to cover the emergency services workers, food and agricultural workers, as well as education and childcare workers," Do-Reynoso said.
Priority groups working in K-12 in Santa Barbara County will be vaccinated next week through the Lompoc Valley Medical Center.
"We have set aside at least 1000 vaccines dedicated to childcare and education for next week, the first priority as set by the superintendents will be teachers and staff working with medically fragile students," Do-Reynoso said.
San Luis Obispo County also announced they will start to vaccinate some education and childcare workers next week writing in a statement:
"The County Office of Education and the Child Care Planning Council, at the recommendation of the SLO County COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force,are identifyingteachers, child care workers and other school staff who will be first in line and up next,based on risk of either exposure at work or severe illness."
Those eligible childcare and education workers in SLO County will be contacted directly by their employers to schedule an appointment.
According to the California Department of Public Health, California is also on track to create the capacity to administer 3 million vaccinations per week by March 1.
