Valley health officials urging community to get COVID-19 booster

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Doctors say COVID-19 booster shots provide that extra layer of protection.

Suwan Keo made sure his dad and grandparents got their boosters.

"Very important, especially because we're planning to travel internationally," he said.

About 200 people a day come in to get shots at the UCSF Fresno drive-through testing and vaccination site in northeast Fresno.

Dr. Kenny Banh says 98% of them are getting boosters. But he'd like to see more people get their first dose of the vaccine.

"It is a little frustrating," he said. "I have to be honest with you because I'm really excited about getting people boostered and trying to increase their protection, but we're missing a whole chunk of people that have no protection whatsoever."

At this point, 56% of Fresno County residents are fully vaccinated.

63% have had their first dose but it has been a struggle to raise those figures.

"We're just getting a trickle of people getting first dose vaccines so whatever people are vaccine-resistant or vaccine-hesitant, trying to get those last groups that are really, really concerned about this that are really a high risk for both spreading as well as high of injury themselves, it's really hard to get," Dr. Banh said.

The CDC recommends kids between 12-17 get their booster shots as well.