Santa Clara County lifted several of its COVID-19 restrictions Friday. The county relaxed restrictions around outdoor gatherings and youth recreation activities amid a drop in COVID-19 cases.
Additionally, a new vaccination site is opening in East San Jose at the Valley Health Center East Valley, also known as the East Valley Clinic.
The new site is aimed to lessen disparities in vaccination availability to communities of color, according to Dr. Gerardo Solorio-Cortes, a primary care physician at Valley Health Center in Gilroy.
âEast side residents know the toll of COVID-19 all too well,â Solorio-Cortes said. âYour community has faced amongst the highest infection rates. And particularly the Latino, Latinx population has been disproportionately affected.â
Emmanuel Baptist Church and Gilroy High School are the two other vaccination sites open in the county targeting communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
Currently 177,000 people in Santa Clara County have received their first vaccine dose through county sites, and around 9,000 people a day are expected to be vaccinated within the next week.
Their biggest obstacle is still limited supply, said Dr. Jennifer Tong, the countyâs Associate Chief Medical Officer.
However, the newly approved Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine will expand inventory.
âDue to the fact that itâs one dose and has less intense cold chain storage requirements, it gives us more flexibility to reach the highest-risk communities who might have difficulty being reached for their second dose,â Tong said.
The county is expected to enter the stateâs Red Tier next Wednesday, March 3, which would lift restrictions on indoor dining and other businesses.
Even so, health officials continue to recommend taking the same basic precautions to limit COVID-19 exposure.
âPlease remember as we wait to vaccinate the whole population, continue to wear a mask, maintain social distance, get tested regularly, and get vaccinated when your time is up,â Solorio-Cortes said.
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