Over $1.63 million in grants was announced for local efforts to get people vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. Local health officials, including CHC’s CEO Ronald Castle, gathered in Santa Barbara to hear Rep. Salud Carbajal announce four new grants totaling $1,634,218. 

These boosted funds were created to increase the number of Central Coast residents who have received the new bivalent COVID-19 booster shot that is designed to combat current variants of the coronavirus. Watch the short video below of CHC’s Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Castle commenting on the securing of these funds to increase the much-needed COVID-19 booster outreach efforts on the Central Coast.

Community Health Centers of the Central Coast is honored to be selected for the federal government’s continued investment for the health & well-being of our area’s most vulnerable and underserved residents. The Expanded COVID-19 Vaccination (ECV) funding will serve as a vital resource in our work towards education of and providing the COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.
 – Ronald Castle, CEO of Community Health Centers of the Central Coast   

Funds from the four new grants will be distributed to Santa Barbara county-based health organizations including CHC, Santa Barbara County Public Health, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics and the American Indian Health and Services clinics. The event was also a way for the presenters to encourage people to do all they can to protect themselves and their families as elevated rates of RSV and a strong influenza strain add to the risk this season. 

While 70% of SB County residents got their initial COVID-19 vaccination series, only 20% have received the newer, bivalent booster. Health officials would like to see that number rise to 95%.

Thank you to KEYT News Channel 3 reporter John Palminteri for covering this press conference – see the full coverage here.

Congressman Salud Carbajal’s office also issued this press release.