One day after the state and Santa Clara County gave the green light for booster shots for anyone over 18, appointments have been filling up fast.
The goal is to get the boosters out to head off a predicted holiday surge in COVID-19 cases.
When Santa Clara County health leaders announced Wednesday that anyone over 18 now qualifies for the booster, Diana Dinh went to get her shot a day later.
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"I was actually able to go online and get an appointment," she said. "There were a lot of appointments available so I was able to get it."
Vince Pereira also immediately logged on and signed up.
"Very easy," he said. "Just went online, looked it up."
The county said there has been a steady stream of sign-ups since Wednesday's announcement.
"We’ve definitely seen a rush on appointments in the last 24 hours, and our county-operated sites are working hard to open up additional appointment slots for those who are seeking boosters," Dr. Jennifer Tong said.
The state health officer also recommended every county follow Santa Clara's example and give a booster to anyone who asks for it.
Until now, the demand for boosters nationwide has lagged. The hope is that by opening it up to everyone, the number of people with boosters will rise ahead of the expected surge of cases as people gather for the holidays.
"It's exciting to see that they're very busy right now," Tong said. "It means that people are accepting the vaccine."
