Vaccine Updates
Updated December 22, 2020
Santa Barbara County Update
Pfizer and Moderna have each submitted applications to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of their COVID-19 vaccine.
On December 11, 2020 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for a Pfizer vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older.
On December 18, 2020 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for a Moderna vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older.
Initial doses of both vaccines will be for persons in Phase 1A. More allocations of the vaccine are anticipated to arrive very soon.
Vaccination of priority groups in Phase 1A will continue through January and February. The Public Health Department is awaiting further guidance from CDPH on specific prioritization beyond Phase 1A. When adequate vaccine and capacity is available in Phase 2, essential workers and persons at high risk of severe outcomes from disease will be vaccinated. In Phase 3 the vaccine will begin to be available to the general community, and this could occur sometime between April and June.
The Santa Barbara County Health Department will be following guidelines from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to prioritize allocation of the vaccine. During Phase 1 of allocation, COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to the following persons:
| Phase 1A Draft Priority Vaccine Distribution | ||
| Per CDPH guidelines 12-5-2020 Prioritized distribution to: Persons at risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through their work in any role in direct health care or long-term care settings. Residents of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and similar long-term care setting for older or medically vulnerable individuals. | ||
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
| Staff of acute care hospitals, psych, correctional facility hospitals | Intermediate Care Facilities | Specialty clinics |
| Staff/residents in long term care setting serving older and high risk | Home health/ home care workers | Lab workers |
| EMS personnel providing EMS services | Community Health workers | Dental |
| Dialysis Center staff | Primary, correctional, urgent care clinics | Pharmacy (if not included previously) |
Further information on the priority tiers established by CDPH during the initial phase, when vaccine will be limited, can be found here.
COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be available for the general public in the Spring of 2021. This timeline will be adjusted as the Public Health Department learns more.