We are back in March. In a way, it never stopped being March. But some things have changed. For example, we now have three vaccines authorized for administration in the United States. And from the first day of the month, if you are at level 1B, you will be entitled to one in Los Angeles County. If you are elsewhere in Southern California, here are our guides for other counties.
Eligibility
Am I eligible? Health workers, residents of long-term care institutions and people aged 65 and over are at Level 1A and remain qualified. As of March 1, Level 1B is also eligible. This level includes: teachers and daycare staff (including daycare and education staff, public schools, colleges and universities, and independent and charter schools; 1B does not include nannies and private nannies); emergency service workers (including police, national security, prison officers, workers required to be in court personally and routinely interact with clients in correctional facilities, university and school police, dispatchers and child and adult protection service workers); and food and agriculture workers (including food-related port and transport workers, food manufacturing workers, food service workers, agricultural workers, veterinarians and veterinary health workers and grocery workers).
Find out if you are eligible to be vaccinated – and be notified when it is your turn – by checking the California My Turn tool (myturn.ca.gov) or by calling the California COVID-19 hotline at (833) 422-4255 (available Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8 am to 5 pm)
How can I prove that I am eligible? If you are eligible because you are 65 or older, bring a photo ID. If you are eligible because of your work, bring your photo ID (it does not have to be issued by the government – it could be your work badge, for example), proof that you live or work in LA County (if the your identity document does not yet have this information) and proof that you work in an applicable industry. Here is more information from LA County on the required documentation (click on “4. Required Documentation” in the link).
Do I need to have insurance to be eligible? Should I present proof of citizenship? No. The vaccine will be available for free to everyone and you will not be asked about your immigration status.
How do I register and where do I get it?
You can make an appointment for yourself at websites administered by the government or at private pharmacies and health centers. These options include major distribution locations (sometimes called PODs and MegaPODs), such as those at Dodger Stadium and Forum. Available times are not always available. These reservations can be made at MyTurn.ca.gov. If you try to make an appointment and all slots are booked, you will have to wait until more seats are available.
Depending on your industry, you may be vaccinated through your work or at special dedicated locations. In many cases, health professionals and residents of long-term care facilities are being vaccinated on the spot. The LA County Department of Public Health posted a topic on Twitter explaining where some people at Level 1B can get the vaccine. For example, if you work in a Vons, Pavilions, Sav-on, Costco or Ralphs with a pharmacy, these chains will provide in-store vaccines to employees and food distributors and transportation workers. If you think you should be vaccinated at your workplace, contact your employer and ask for more details.
County-run websites are offering some dates and places where vaccines will be available only to qualified people in certain sectors of work. Check the availability of the vaccine at MyTurn.ca.gov to look for industry-specific commitments.
To see the full list of all ways to make an appointment, along with the links to do so, visit the county’s public health department website by clicking here and scrolling down to “3. Look for an appointment. ”You can also copy and paste this web address into a new browser window: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/vaccine/hcwsignup/
If you are disabled or do not have access to a computer, you can call (833) 540-0473 for help between 8 am and 8:30 pm, seven days a week.
What about my second dose?
If you have had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, you are guaranteed a second dose. Ask at your first appointment to find out if your second appointment will be scheduled automatically or if you have to make an appointment yourself. The second dose does not need to be administered exactly 21 or 28 days later – there is a grace period of up to six weeks after the first injection for the second dose.
If you get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you don’t have to worry about that: it’s a single-dose vaccine.