SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In addition to the incentive program announced by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sacramento County Public Health officials shared they are working to incentivize and ensure people in the county continue to get vaccinated.
According to the latest numbers from the California Department of Public Health on May 28, roughly 48% of Sacramento County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with most of those residents fully vaccinated.
Sacramento County has since began reaching out to some of the thousands of residents who missed their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Nearly 8% of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine recipients, 46,929 people, have gone past the date they should get their second dose of the vaccine. Sacramento County Public Health spokesperson Stacey Kennedy said people who haven't gotten their dose could still get one.
"They will not have to restart the vaccine series; it's really important that they get both doses for optimal vaccine effectiveness," Kennedy said.
Sacramento Public Health Epidemiology Program Manager Jamie White said the county and its providers will be personally reaching out to people who missed their second dose because:
- People under 30 make up roughly 10% of missed second doses.
- People between the age of 30 and 50 make up roughly 24% of missed second doses.
- People over 50 make up roughly 66% of missed second doses.
- People over 65 make up roughly 46% of missed second doses.
Kennedy added Cal Expo, Safeway and many neighborhood pop-up clinics have the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine and accept people for same-day vaccinations.
In trying to get more people to get the first dose, Sacramento County is working on ways to incentivize people. Sacramento County Public Health Dr. Olivia Kasirye said the county would be rolling out more events like the vaccination clinic ahead of the Sacramento Republic FC match on May 29.
"We are going to be working with the Sacramento Republic FC throughout the summer and planning different events where we can actually take vaccine into the different communities, especially those that are underserved that right now are trailing in their vaccination rates," Kasirye said. "We are making a push to find more innovative ways of getting the vaccine out. And so, reaching out to businesses that are willing to offer incentives to reach out to us so that we can work together and make vaccinations more available."
People can sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment and a free ticket to the game through Equivax, the clinical partner administering the vaccine.
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