While Californians 50 and older scour the internet trying to snag a coveted appointment. The federal government is sending more doses our way.
By next week, California is set to receive more than 2 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and several hundred thousand doses of Johnson & Johnson, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
On Friday, retail giant Costco started administering Johnson & Johnson vaccines at several Bay Area locations.
As of Friday morning, NBC Bay Area Anchor/Reporter Anoushah Rasta found dozens of open slots at a Costco location in Antioch.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
This was good news for customers like Shayesteh Ahmed.
“I love it. I love it. That will be much easier for people and then more accessible because everybody comes to Costco,” said Ahmed.
Loretta Gilmartin, another Costco Customer is also happy with the news.
Local
“The pharmacists are reputable here. I’ve had vaccines here before,” she said.
There were also appointments available for the next five days at Walgreens locations within just 25 miles of San Jose.
At CVS, Rasta was only able to find open slots in places outside the Bay Area like Bakersfield and Fresno.
But Julie Worthington booked an appointment for she and her husband at a CVS near their home in Santa Cruz.
“I was able to get my timing right and CVS drops a bunch of appointments after midnight so I was ready for it,” she said.
Worthington said that CVS opened up the new appointments online after midnight, moments after she and her husband became eligible with the 50 and older age group.
“I didn’t think I was going to get it within the first week, especially with the Governor saying that even though we’re eligible, it could take weeks to get an appointment,” she added.
Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, Santa Clara County’s head of vaccines said Thursday that the South Bay will receive almost 80,000 doses next week and that’s in addition to the Kaiser Permanente supply.
“We are told that the vaccine supply should increase by the middle to end of April, and well into May for sure,” he said.
That’s why local health departments and private providers encourage the public to be patient but to keep checking and refreshing because appointments can come at any time.
