Santa Clara County to phase out four of five mass vaccination sites

Four out of Santa Clara’s five mass vaccination sites are closing in the next few weeks, but it is not a bad thing, county health experts said.

With nearly 80 percent of the eligible county residents vaccinated, temporary emergency sites are no longer needed.

Remaining vaccine appointments can be accommodated at pop-up/mobile sites, retail pharmacies and health care clinics.

On Friday, the Berger site is closing. Residents who had their second vaccine dose scheduled there will have appointments transferred to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.

The site at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara will close two weeks later on June 24 and those needing their second dose will also be transferred to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.

Gilroy High School will close on July 7, where appointments will be transferred to Valley Health Center Gilroy.

And the Mountain View Community Center still does not have a set closing date but when it does, residents will be directed to go to Valley Health Center Sunnyvale.

Right now, Covid-19 case rates are at an all-time low with a rolling seven-day average of about 20 cases, County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said at a Board of Supervisors meeting this week.

Cody said:

“I anticipate that our case rate will vary, it may go up and down, but I don’t expect it surge back up because of our vaccination rates.”

The county’s goal is to inoculate 85 percent of eligible residents vaccinated by Tuesday, the day the state forgoes its tier system, its current mask mandate and essentially opens back up with many less restrictions.

Vaccine and Testing Officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said vaccine supply is plentiful and urged remaining residents to book an appointment or go to a walk-up site soon.

To make a vaccine appointment or find a site, people can visit www.sccfreevax.org or call 211.