New vaccine 'Super Station' opens in San Marcos as pandemic drags on

A new “Vaccination Super Station” has opened in North County at California State University San Marcos while the San Diego region continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Super Station opened on Jan. 31 and has the capability to vaccinate up to 5,000 people per day, according to county officials, although anyone who wishes to be vaccinated at the facility must make an appointment online at www.vaccinationsuperstationsd.com.

Hospitalizations are declining in the region; as of Saturday, Jan. 30, there were 1,344 coronavirus patients in local hospitals, down from 1,375 the day before.

But the effects of the pandemic are certainly still being felt – health officials reported 16 deaths and 1,274 new coronavirus infections across San Diego County on Jan. 30 alone.

In the 92028 ZIP code, which includes Rainbow and De Luz, 3,188 people have contracted coronavirus as of Jan. 31 since the start of the pandemic last year, according to county data.

Countywide, 2,619 people have died of coronavirus so far and there have been more than 238,000 confirmed cases.

Jan. 30 was the 61st consecutive day with more than 1,000 new cases.

Ten new community outbreaks were reported Saturday, Jan. 30, part of 56 reported in the past week tied to 263 infections.

The county has received more than 485,900 vaccines and more than 269,000 have been administered. Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said there is a normal lag in reporting these numbers, but 1.6% of the county's population over the age of 16 have been fully vaccinated and demand remains high.

“We're trying to make it easier for people to make an appointment and get vaccinated when it's their turn,'' said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county public health officer. “The vaccine is safe and effective and it's the best tool we have to slow the pandemic.''

In Borrego Springs this weekend, a Cal Fire team as part of “Operation Collaboration'' provided 250 COVID-19 doses Sunday, Jan. 31.

Operation Collaboration is a consortium of local fire agencies using county vaccines. Cal Fire and other groups will also be going to other communities soon, especially to vaccinate people in nursing and long-term care homes.

Fletcher announced Thursday, Jan. 28, the Metropolitan Transit System and North County Transit District will immediately begin offering free transit rides on buses and trolleys to get people to and from their vaccination appointments. Riders will only need to show a confirmation email of their vaccine appointment that day. This can be a printout or on a smartphone.

Fletcher said in addition to the recently-opened North County Super Station and the previously-existing ones at Petco Park and in Chula Vista, an East County Super Station is in the works, but he didn't name a date or location.

After more than six weeks of a regional stay-at-home order, California health officials rescinded the order on Jan. 25, citing improving conditions in hospitals. But San Diego County remains subject to the tight regulations of the most restrictive ``purple'' tier of economic reopening guidelines.

The county's adjusted case rate is 49.6 new cases per 100,000 population. To be dropped into the more permissive red tier of the state's four-level reopening plan, cases have to be fewer than seven per 100,000.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Will Fritz can be reached by email at [email protected].