San Luis Obispo, CA — Anyone age 16 and older is now eligible to sign up for the County’s COVID-19 vaccine registry.

This opens up the registry to about 54,000 additional San Luis Obispo County community members. The County will continue to prioritize those at higher risk for COVID-19 complications based on age and health conditions.

“I am thrilled to announce that if you are 16 or older and live in SLO County, you are now able to sign up to get this safe and very effective vaccine,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer. “This is a milestone we have been looking to for the past year and I encourage everyone in our community – including those who have been eligible for some time – to take this opportunity, get the vaccine, and help put this pandemic behind us.”

The COVID-19 vaccine is always free of charge at the County’s mass vaccination clinics. The County Public Health Department has enough vaccine supply to administer about 9,000 first doses next week at one of three mass vaccination clinics. By signing up for the registry, individuals can get on the list to get an appointment. Some newly-eligible registrants may need to wait up to a few weeks before getting their first dose, based on current vaccine supply.

Due to FDA guidelines, all eligible residents under age 18 will be matched with an appointment for the Pfizer vaccine, the only vaccine currently approved for minors. At County clinics, those under age 18 will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to get vaccinated.

Some pharmacies that receive their vaccine allocation from the Federal government rather than the County, such CVS and Rite Aid, might not offer vaccines to this newly eligible group right away. Please talk with your local pharmacy about any vaccine administration fees they may charge and check to make sure you are eligible under the guidelines they are following.

For assistance signing up for the County’s appointment registry, call the Phone Assistance Center at (805) 543-2444 or (805) 781-4280. For more questions about COVID-19 vaccine in SLO County, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.