According to the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department, Covid-19 cases in the area are on the decline, following a summer surge.
"Every year for the past several, we have seen a summer surge and then a winter surge," said Dr. Penny Borenstein, the Public Health Director. "So we're in that in between phase right now where the case numbers have gone down, hospitalizations and deaths have decreased."
Despite the fluctuation in Covid-19 cases, community members have mixed feelings on getting the vaccine.
"We don't vaccinate," said Tim Madelline, a San Luis Obispo father of 3.
"I think it's important," said Nancy Houl, a long time San Luis Obispo resident.
Dr. Borenstein says there is an abundance of adult vaccines in the county, but accessing children vaccines can be a little more difficult.
"For children they are traditionally given in pediatrics or family medicine offices. We know that, all of the pharmacies that we have checked with are not giving vaccines to anyone under age three. In some cases under age five or age seven. So it is more difficult for individuals who are quite young to get the vaccine. Also, their pediatricians and, family medicine doctors are universally not giving the vaccine," said Dr. Borenstein.
She says for families interested in getting their young children vaccinated, they can go to Community Health Centers of the Central Coast, or visit the SLO County Public Health clinic.
Dr. Borenstein says kids as young as six-months can get the Covid-19 vaccine and the county's recommendation is to get it annually.
"People tend to think it's nothing more than a cold these days, it is still one of the top 15 causes of death in the United States. And, people who get very sick from it, who have underlying conditions, who have an older age and even the younger individuals are more prone to have serious illness," she said.
