One hundred patients were anticipated but 350 made appointments instantly with Lompoc Health when they were called by a nurse and offered a spot at Wednesday’s COVID vaccination clinic.
Lompoc Health, the clinic portion of Lompoc Valley Medical Center, is the first in Santa Barbara County to offer a vaccine against COVID-19 to the general public, albeit to the public who are their patients over the age of 75.
“It went very smoothly. People were so eager to get the vaccine,” said Nora Wallace, spokesperson for the hospital. “One of our volunteers clapped and I saw another get teary-eyed, they were so relieved to get the vaccine.” The hospital had finished the first round of vaccines for its medical staff on Monday and still had the Moderna vaccine to spare; they decided to start vaccinating their elderly patients.