Lower demand causes county to close some testing and vaccination sites, shift strategy
About 14,000 San Diego County residents have received second booster shots for COVID-19 since the federal government approved them for those age 50 and older early last week.
And, at the moment, there appears to be little concern that a tidal wave of demand is about to arrive. “Right now, I’d be speculating, but I think demand will be good from those 60 and older and modest at best by those 50 to 60,” Van Gorder said in an email. “However, if we start to experience a BA.2 surge or see another variant, the demand will increase significantly.”
Dr. Denise Foster, the county’s chief nursing officer, said that while county and state-run testing locations were handling about 55,000 tests per week this past winter with Omicron spreading, recent averages are about 6,000. Vaccination has seen a similar decrease, especially given that 90 percent of residents are vaccinated by their health provider or at a pharmacy.