Vaccine appointments now open to all 16 and over Firefighters started assisting distribute vaccines to people unable to leave their homes last week. Updated 2 p.m. April 13: The long wait for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility ended this week for all but our region’s youngest members. Santa Clara County quietly revised its online vaccination information Monday night, allowing all residents ages 16 and over to start booking appointments. The county announced Tuesday afternoon that anyone can start receiving the vaccine without waiting until Thursday, the previous deadline for expanded eligibility. Some locations operated by the county weren’t yet listing online availability Monday night and Tuesday morning, but health department officials said in a 1 p.m. Tuesday press conference that they expected a steady stream of new doses arriving from the federal government. Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, the county's vaccine director, said they anticipate a "tremendous increase" in the amount of vaccine received each day, which should be reflected in a huge uptick in appointment availability.