Education and Childcare Workers
Beginning March 1, 2021, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will open vaccine eligibility to residents in the following sectors: Education & Childcare, Emergency Services, Food/Grocery and Agricultural workers. Per California State guidelines, 30% of the county’s vaccine allocation will be utilized for people in these sectors.
Vaccine supply remains very limited. The Public Health Department is working directly with the Santa Barbara County Education Office, local private schools, and partners in the childcare sector to provide targeted opportunities for educators and childcare providers to be vaccinated.
Who is eligible in this sector?
Persons at risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through their work in any role in the following Education and Child Care settings
- All formal and informal childcare workers, including day care providers and the following:
- Examples of informal childcare workers include: public and private recreation programs such as YMCA/YWCA, on campus afterschool programs, individuals or programs receiving a child care subsidy. Occasional babysitting should not be included
- Resource Family approved homes and certified family homes providing emergency or short-term foster care. While foster care is in a home care setting, the nature of it is temporary and may be a revolving door of children staying and leaving needing care.
- Those working in Children’s Residential Community Care facilities (e.g. Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program, group homes, temporary shelter care facilities)
- All staff in colleges, universities, junior colleges, community colleges, and other postsecondary education facilities
- All staff in educational support services and administration
- All staff in Pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools
- All staff in technical and trade schools
- Any other workers involved in child and/or student care, including school bus drivers and monitors, crosswalk guards, etc.
- Library staff with occupational exposure to students
Vaccination Sites
Vaccination opportunities will begin the week of March 1, 2020 and target educators in the TK-12 setting working with medically fragile students in person and childcare providers. These appointments will be coordinated through the Santa Barbara County Education Office and Lompoc Valley Medical Center.
Educators
- Appointments will be distributed by the district, charter or private school administration.
- Santa Barbara County Education Office Update on TK-12 Education and Childcare staff in Santa Barbara County. CLICK HERE
- Employees at Higher Education Institutions (HEI), are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations, based on supply. More information BELOW.
Child Care Workers
- Appointments for child care workers are coordinated through the Children’s Resource and Referral Agency for Santa Barbara County.
- Contact for information: Call 805-925-7071 or email reception@crrsbc.org
Vaccination Sites & Appointments
Lompoc Community Vaccination Clinic for ALL eligible populations.
WHERE: Dick DeWees Community & Senior Center in Lompoc, 1120 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc, CA 93436
WHEN: Sunday, March 28, 2021 through Saturday, April 3, 2021 9:30AM – 6:30PM
Location: Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort (Santa Barbara)
633 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. Enter via the driveway on Calle Puerto Vallarta
No 1st dose appointments available at this time.
Location: Allan Hancock College (Santa Maria)
800 S College Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454. Building S. Enter via Sierra Madre Ave.
No 1st dose appointments available at this time.
Additional Vaccination Sites
CVS Pharmacies: CVS Pharmacies will be receiving vaccine allocation directly from the Federal Government. Buellton and Santa Maria locations will be taking appointments. Access the National scheduling link and select your location.
Rite Aid Pharmacies: Rite Aid Pharmacies will be receiving vaccine allocation direction from the Federal Government. Access the National scheduling link to view available locations.
Vaccinations for Higher Education Employees
Educators, including employees at Higher Education Institutions (HEI), are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. Unfortunately, the limited supply of vaccine is a barrier to vaccinating all Higher Ed staff immediately. We are committed to vaccinating HEI staff in an efficient and effective manner, with the available supplies of vaccine.
Decisions about who to vaccinate first is driven by the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Based on what we know about the transmission of the virus from person to person, those at greatest risk are HEI employees who are currently working on a campus in roles that require them to have close contact/face to face contact with others on campus. As an example, faculty who teach on campus from independent offices are not in close contact and faculty who teach in close proximity to students, such as laboratories and classrooms with others, are in close contact.
HEI employees who have already received the vaccine or are eligible to receive the vaccine due to other eligibility factors, will not be considered for priority vaccinations in the educational category. This includes law enforcement, medical personnel, and those 65 years and older who can receive the vaccine at any site in the county.
On a weekly basis, the total number of HEI staff who meet the priority group criteria will exceed the number of vaccine doses that are available. Each institution will allocate internally considering risk and equity factors. Institutions will consider the oldest of their employees in the priority group, as data reflects that older individuals are at greatest risk of severe illness and death. In addition, institutions will also use an equity lens as we know that people of color also suffer from severe illness and death more than white residents. The goal is to vaccinate employees with the greatest occupational exposure in a fair and considerate manner.
Each Higher Education Institution will create a listing of all employees who match the criteria in the priority group for vaccination. The total number of employees in this group for each institution will be tabulated. When the total number of slots for HEI staff is known on a weekly basis, each institution will be given slots on a proportional basis.
Up until recently, UC Santa Barbara was part of a multi county entity (MCE) and received vaccines directly from the state. With the transition to the statewide third-party administrator, Blue Shield, the campus will no longer receive vaccines from the state and will be counted as part of the County for purposes of vaccine distribution.
MyTurn California Vaccination Scheduler
Find out if you are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, schedule appointments, and sign up for notifications directly with MyTurn.