Vaccination Clinic held as restaurant week comes to an end

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) Santa Cruz ends their Covid-19 Restaurant week with a public vaccination clinic.

The community vaccine clinic will run from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Santa Cruz Food Lounge at 1001 Center Street.

As part of the event, Santa Cruz Public Health visited restaurants throughout the community to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to their staff.

Pamela Silva Acosta attended the vaccination clinic. Silva Acosta was motivated by her daughter to get vaccinated. After thinking it through she decided it was time. She went online to see what clinic had the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine. 

"This popped up versus fairgrounds in Watsonville,” said Silva Acosta. “I find out I get a nice free coffee after.”

People like Silva Acosta who decided to get vaccinated were given small incentives such as a gift card and a  free cup of coffee of their choice from the menu of 11th Hour Coffe.

The Owner of 11th Hour Coffee, Brayden Estby said,  he decided to join the effort as he thought it was a great way to encourage and ease people from receiving the vaccine.

"It just felt like a good thing that we could do for the people that are going through the process,” said Estby. “We just felt like it was a nice thing for people to kind of come through the shop and get the 11th Hour experience while they're here as well."

About 61% of Santa Cruz County has been vaccinated. Santa Cruz County Public Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said, they've reached out to many different sectors including schools. But, it was time to reach out to the food industry, she said. 

“We want everyone who's eligible to get vaccinated, especially our 20 to 40-year-olds in this county,” said Dr. Newel. “So this site in particular at the food Lounge is one that attracts that younger age group, and we're hoping that some of them are going to step forward today and get vaccinated.

We will hear more from KION's Jonathan Sarabia tonight at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.