San Francisco's health department could soon run out of vaccine doses

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Department of Public Health is on pace to run out of COVID-19 vaccine doses by Thursday.

Mayor London Breed said so far the city has only received a total of 102,825 doses for both the first and second shots. But that will not cover the approximately 210,000 people in the city's highest priority group which includes frontline workers and people 65 and older. 

California's chaotic vaccine rollout stacked against the extremely limited supply distributed to health care systems around the state are two of the biggest challenges. 

READ: San Francisco opening three mass COVID-19 vaccination sites

San Francisco is administering the vaccine through its department of public health as well as private providers, but there is simply not enough to go around. 

The SFDPH, which is charged with vaccinating workers at San Francisco General Hospital, EMTs, and frontline health workers, has received 31,655 doses and administered 15,545 of them. And Breed said all remaining vaccine doses are already accounted for.

"Unless we get more vaccine, the department of public health will run out of our existing supply by this Thursday," she said. 

Data from the city's private providers on their current vaccine supply and use is not yet available. 

Meanwhile, the city rolled out a vaccine notify link where residents can sign up to see via text or email when they become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

The system had some tech hiccups when it was unveiled, but had recovered by the afternoon. As of early Tuesday evening, the mayor said 64,000 people had signed up for the notification. 

People who signed up received a confirmation message that said they can expect to be notified "by the end of 2021." 

You can sign up for the notification here.