The Santa Clara County Department of Public Health has released a new dashboard of COVID-19 vaccine data, public health officials said Thursday.
The scoreboard includes information on the total number of residents vaccinated to date, in addition to information on race / ethnicity, sex and age from the California Department of Public Health Immunization Registry.
These data help track and ensure equitable access for those most at risk of serious illness and death, as well as those most at risk, officials said.
“Addressing health disparities and ensuring equitable access to the COVID vaccine for our most affected communities is and remains the top priority for the county,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County Health Officer.
The county’s recent shift to a “slightly wrong policy” is an example of removing barriers to vaccination.
The new policy, announced on Thursday, allows residents aged 65 and over to book appointments with any vaccine provider, regardless of their coverage, in an effort to streamline vaccinations for one of the most at-risk communities.
People aged 65 and over account for 81% of COVID-19 deaths and approximately 60% of hospitalizations. So far, about 24% of the population over 65 in the county has been vaccinated and 37% of those over 75.
As of Thursday, more than 10% of the county’s population aged 16 and over has received at least one dose of vaccine, “reflecting strong progress,” toward the county’s goal of vaccinating 85 percent of the population by August 1, 2021.
The new vaccine data scoreboard will be updated daily. The information is self-reported by vaccine providers in the county and includes information about non-county residents, such as health care workers who live elsewhere but work in Santa Clara County.
The dashboard can be accessed through this link: https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/dashboard-vaccine.aspx?mc_cid=fe1c613fca&mc_eid=882534314e. To book appointments or learn more about vaccination in Santa Clara County, visit sccfreevax.org.