A California hospital is closing its COVID-19 vaccination clinic, weeks after county officials prohibited it from receiving more shots because it broke protocol,San Jose Spotlightreported Feb. 14.
Santa Clara County in JanuarybarredGood Samaritan Hospital in San Jose from receiving COVID-19 vaccines beyond the second doses needed to complete vaccination of people who already received a first vaccine dose, after the hospital offered teachers and staff of a local school district shots ahead of higher-priority groups. The county is currently onlyoffering vaccinesto healthcare workers, long-term facility residents and residents age 65 and older. It is not yet offering them to educators.
现在,hospital is closing its vaccine clinic. All employees have been inoculated.
"Our focus has always been our healthcare workers getting vaccinated," Antonio Castelan, a spokesperson for Good Samaritan's parent company, Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, toldSan Jose Spotlight. "We are now winding down our vaccination clinic since many of our employees already received their two doses."
The decision comes after the hospitalsubmitted new screening measuresto the county Jan. 28 to ensure compliance with shot protocol. In a separateSan Jose Spotlightreport, Good Samaritan said it canceled vaccination appointments for anyone not covered under the county's current vaccine distribution plan. It also said the hospital would screen more for patients who are eligible for inoculation; require patients to prove their eligibility via photo ID and occupation; and follow a contingency plan so that vaccines aren't wasted.
Mr. Castelan toldBecker'sthat Santa Clara County is reviewing the plan the hospital submitted and is waiting for the county's decision on how the county will proceed with vaccine distribution.