Healthcare workers and others in “high-risk” settings must receive their Covid-19 vaccination booster by Jan. 24, the Santa Clara County health officer announced Dec. 28.
Under the new local health order, workers must be up-to-date on their vaccination (both fully vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19 if eligible) in these settings:
• Skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, adult day care facilities and memory care facilities
• Healthcare delivery facilities (such as hospitals, clinics, medical offices, dialysis centers) where patient care is provided, as well as medical first responders
• Jails and other correctional facilities
• Congregate shelters
The order also requires unvaccinated or unboosted staff who work in healthcare, jail, long-term care or shelter settings be reassigned to lower-risk settings or otherwise prohibited from working in higher-risk settings.
“Less than two weeks ago, we noted that the Omicron variant was about to bring a deluge of new Covid-19 cases to Santa Clara County. Unfortunately, that deluge is now here,” said County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody. “We urge everyone in our community to get boosted as soon as they are eligible and be highly cautious because the Omicron variant is so transmissible. It is especially essential that workers who are delivering healthcare and interacting with vulnerable populations are vaccinated and boosted in order to best protect themselves and the people in their care.”
According to county data, 133 Covid-positive patients are hospitalized throughout the county as of Dec. 27, with seven of those at St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy. As a comparison, 661 were hospitalized by this time last year, data shows.
Everyone over 16 who got their Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations more than six months ago or their Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than two months ago is eligible for a booster.
Appointments for vaccinations and boosters are available at sccfreevax.org.
