Getting the coronavirus vaccine is still … incredibly complicated.
California is allowing residents over 65 to be vaccinated, along with healthcare professionals and residents of nursing homes and social care facilities. The state is also allowing teachers, daycare centers, emergency service workers and food and agricultural workers who may be exposed at work to be vaccinated.
But the number of people technically eligible for the vaccine has increased much faster than the number of doses available. Signaling chaos, bitter resentment and system breakdowns. With so many things happening – and changing – so quickly, here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Has California achieved Governor Gavin Newsom’s goal of 1 million vaccines distributed so far?
It is not clear, due to data problems, but the state was probably close. Still this week, state health officer Erica Pan said it could take up to five months to vaccinate all Californians aged 65 and over. This is based on the fact that there are more than 6 million Californians of that age, and the state is receiving only 400,000-500,000 doses a week.
One of the main problems is that the federal government, which distributes vaccines to the state, has not guaranteed as many doses as expected. And the companies that manufacture the approved vaccines – Moderna and Pfizer – cannot produce as many doses. Without a centralized health care system, getting vaccines in hand was left to a patchwork of agencies, government offices and major health systems like Kaiser and Sutter.
Does President Biden have a plan to speed things up?
Yes. Biden said he wants to deliver 100 million doses in the first 100 days of his administration. Thus, the state can get more vaccines, which can speed up the schedule that Pan talked about. And Pfizer and Moderna are unlikely to be the only vaccine suppliers for a long time. Several other vaccines are already in clinical trials, and if they are successful, these companies can get permission to start manufacturing and distributing coronavirus vaccines as well.
How do I reserve a time to take the photo?
In California, some counties are establishing mass vaccination sites, while other locations are telling people to speak to their doctor. The process is not always fair. Sometimes it’s like trying to get tickets to a hot show – with those who happen to connect at the right time or are in the right place or have the right connections getting access while people with less resources and less luck wait. Here’s what some of the Bay Area’s top suppliers and counties are saying on Thursday. (Note: this information is constantly changing, and phone lines and online registration pages are overloaded to the point of locking up.)
Kaiser Permanente
After saying it would schedule appointments for people aged 65 and over and provide a phone number, the HMO reduced. According to the vaccine page on its website, Kaiser is now saying it will send a letter or e-mail to patients 75 and older to schedule an appointment. He no longer provides a phone number for people to proactively make an appointment. Kaiser is allowing healthcare professionals, patients and long-term care teams and emergency medical workers to take an electronic visit to schedule a vaccine.
Sutter Health (Palo Alto Medical Foundation)
Sutter’s vaccines website says it is scheduling appointments for healthcare professionals and people aged 75 and over, prioritizing high-risk patients. Sutter patients can call 844-987-6115 to schedule an appointment or log into the My Health Online portal to book an appointment online.
Stanford Health Care
The Stanford coronavirus website says it is vaccinating its primary care patients, but eligibility varies by county. Residents of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties at least 75 years old can be vaccinated at 2585 Samaritan Drive, San Jose. As of Friday, January 22, he will also offer vaccines at the Arrillaga Center at 341 Galvez Street on the Stanford campus. Starting on Thursday, Stanford patients aged 65 and over in Alameda and Contra Costa counties can schedule an appointment to be vaccinated at 6121 Hollis Street in Emeryville. Qualified patients can make an appointment through the MyHealth portal or by calling 650-498-9000.
El Camino Health
El Camino is allowing Santa Clara County residents aged 75 and over – who are not Kaiser, Sutter, Stanford or Santa Clara Valley Medical patients – to schedule an online vaccination appointment.
John Muir Health
John Muir says he plans to start vaccinating patients 75 and older starting next week. JMH says it will initially be able to offer around 3,000 consultations a week, but that is expected to double by mid-February. The system says it will reach patients to schedule an appointment using messages from the patient portal, email, text messages and phone calls.
Alameda County
Alameda says it is currently limiting its vaccinations to healthcare professionals, but said it hopes to expand to others in the coming weeks. The county’s website allows residents to sign up for notification when they can schedule a vaccine.
Contra Costa County
Contra Costa is scheduling vaccine appointments for residents aged 65 and over. Qualified residents can complete an online form to request an interview. Residents without Internet access or having problems using the form can call 833-829-2626.
San Francisco County
San Francisco created an online notification system for residents to apply. Residents and employees can receive a text or email notifying them that it is their turn. The city says it is working with health professionals to establish high-volume vaccination sites and sites in the neighborhoods most affected by the virus.
San Mateo County
San Mateo is vaccinating health professionals, residents and employees in long-term care homes. The county website says it is in transition to the next phase, which includes residents aged 65 and over, but these people should contact their local health care provider to obtain a vaccine. The county’s San Mateo Medical Center says it will reach patients who meet the criteria for receiving the vaccine.
Santa Clara County
The Santa Clara County website says it can schedule vaccinations for people aged 75 and over who live in the county, including patients at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. The county says Kaiser, Sutter and Stanford patients should schedule appointments through these providers.
VA Northern California Health Care System
Veterans who receive care through the VA can get an injection through the system. VA is vaccinating veterans on cancer treatment, on dialysis, those in need of an organ transplant and those living on the street for the first time. The VA says it will contact patients when they are eligible. Veterans can apply through the VA website to get updates on vaccine distribution.