Each two doses of covid vaccine that are held in storage today represent potentially taking a life tomorrow and causing a family grief and suffering. Simple math right? Hold back two doses of vaccine from use, you potentially kill one person.

Would it surprise you to learn that Santa Barbara County has several thousand doses of vaccine available to use that is not being released? Simply call your nearest hospital or nearest Sav-On or Vons pharmacy and ask how many doses of vaccine they have, and let the truth speak for itself. Do the math in terms of lives.

The Independent participated on Friday January 15 at a press conference where the Santa Barbara County Health Department, bending to public pressure, decided to expand eligibility beyond the health-care workers that have been already vaccinated for at least a month to those 75+ but only beginning five days later on January 20. That represents five days of delayed immunity, five days of unnecessary extra death, five days of unnecessarily depriving proper health care to county residents.

Other counties manage vaccine distribution so this doesn’t happen. In fact, you could drive over the border to Kern County today and be vaccinated if you were 65 or older.

Further, research has shown that contracting COVID can lead to long-term lung damage and further hospitalization for the future all because of the inaction of the very department entrusted in this county to prevent this. You should ask, where is the accountability?

Our Department of Health cannot say when you will be permitted to be vaccinated in this county, but they can sure prevent you from receiving the vaccine today.

The Board of Supervisors controls the Department of Health. Call 2-1-1 today to get the vaccine line. The six people in the call center left holding the bag to explain the S.B. County’s position will suggest, as they did to me, to call my county supervisor.

We learned in a national election this year that the inaction of those entrusted to care for its electorate will be held accountable. Hasn’t there been enough unnecessary death and suffering already from a policy that holds back available vaccine?

Hold back two doses of vaccine from use, you potentially kill one person. The county supervisors in Kern County can do the math. Can’t your county supervisor do the math?

Santa Barbara County Public Health stated:

“We are just receiving second doses next week for those that were vaccinated at our Public Health community clinics. These folks are already scheduled for vaccine next week and will receive them. We aren’t holding any back but rather will use the allocation that arrives next week for these second doses.”

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