Marin health officials have launched a campaign to remove obstacles to getting a COVID-19 shot, the county’s top public health officer said.
“We’re in a full court press to reduce barriers to access to vaccines,” Dr. Lisa Santora said Monday.
As of Sept. 10, Marin was “at the highest level of COVID-19 wastewater surveillance numbers since the summer surge of 2024,” said Santora, citing data from the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California said it is offering COVID-19 shots to all members 6 months and older. More information is at shorturl.at/nvygN.
“Kaiser Permanente’s administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is based on the latest scientific evidence and clinical guidance from our physician experts and many other sources, including leading medical societies,” said Dr. Naveen Kumar, physician in chief at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael.
Dr. Matt Willis, former Marin public health officer, said he received the Kaiser announcement over the weekend.
“As a Kaiser member, I received an invitation, along with all their members, to their vaccine clinic starting today,” Willis said on Monday. “I confirmed that they’ll vaccinate anyone who wants it over age 6 months.”
Willis said the Kaiser announcement “is a great example of how our health care providers who know the science and understand the benefits of vaccines are working to protect our access.”
On the state level, Willis said the Legislature approved a trailer bill Friday that is similar to one that passed last week in New Mexico. Assembly Bill 144 provides a standing order that would disconnect California vaccine access policies from any rules or recommendations by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP.
The committee, once the national standard for such guidelines, has had its membership gutted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the director of the Department of Health and Human Services, and replaced with vaccine skeptics.
The state bill is awaiting approval by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Willis said. If adopted into law, it would protect pharmacies and physicians from repercussions from providing vaccines to adults who are outside of the ACIP recommendations or not within the current federal Food and Drug Administration guidelines.
The FDA said that only adults over 65 or those who are younger but with a high-risk health condition may receive a shot.
Willis said that some Marin pharmacies, such as CVS, Walgreens and Safeway, are using an online “self-attest” system in which people who want an appointment for a COVID-19 shot but who do not meet the FDA guidelines are asked if they have any one of 20 health conditions, including “body mass index 25 or over” or “sedentary lifestyle.” Those who check one of those conditions are able to make an appointment.
“I think about 75% of the population would be able to check the box on those two health risks,” Willis said.
The federal committee, meanwhile, is expected to meet Thursday to consider restrictions on various vaccines, including measles, hepatitis B and COVID-19, according to Santora.
Santora said she hopes people don’t “see the headlines” about the ACIP decisions and get worried about lack of access to vaccines.
Santora added that the county has lined up a partnership with Golden Gate Pharmacy to act as a last resort provider if Marin residents are unable to access vaccines at other pharmacies.
“We’re all standing behind universal requirements,” she said.