New Omicron Vaccine Arrives to Santa Barbara
County in the 'Green' on CDC Scale, but COVID-19 Still Hospitalizes Dozens
Though new cases of COVID-19 continue to afflict people every day, the rate has been slowing since mid-July in California and Santa Barbara County. As well, the new updated vaccine developed for the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 strains has made its way to pharmacies and doctors’ offices in recent days after the Food and Drug Administration approved its use on an emergency basis at the end of August.
The new vaccine — called a bivalent vaccine as it targets the Omicron subvariants and also protects against the original SARS-CoV-2 virus — is popular in Santa Barbara, according to anecdotal accounts from dispensing pharmacies. A pharmacy staff member at the Montecito Vons said they were vaccinating about 100 people a day and could only see people by appointment. Another pharmacy staffer at a CVS in Santa Barbara said the high demand varied by location. Both pharmacies said the Pfizer vaccine was more available than the Moderna vaccine, but that they’d had no trouble obtaining enough vaccine overall.
The vaccines are still free, though some locations may charge an administration fee, said Jackie Ruiz, spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. Public Health was not making the booster available at the fairgrounds in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, as they had the earlier rounds of vaccine, but they will be offering vaccinations at community events as they arise, Ruiz assured.
