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On Thursday, California opened the COVID-19 vaccination for people aged 50 and over. Hundreds of newly qualified people across the Golden State have jumped online for nominations.
We heard many readers who tried to make an appointment yesterday without success, as well as readers who have been qualified for weeks and have not yet secured a place.
“Trying to get the COVID vaccination as a 64-year-old essential worker with a history of cancer and finding nothing within a 30 mile radius of the Bay Area after trying daily for three weeks is the most frustrating experience of my life,” wrote Jo Sellers in an email. “Easier to find a unicorn or plutonium!”
People line up at the mass vaccination site at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center, which opened for healthcare professionals and people over 65 on February 5, 2021 in San Francisco, California.
Amy Osborne / AFP via Getty ImagesWe also heard from many readers who managed to arrange a meeting. Below, we are sharing some of their stories in the hope that their experiences can provide tips for others navigating a system that is confusing and overwhelming.
The responses have been condensed and edited for clarity in some cases.
See how SFGATE readers found vaccine nominations
“I tried every hour, from 9 pm to midnight. Then, at 5 am and 7 am. At 9 am, I went on MyTurn [this is the state’s main appointment-booking system] and they had at least 15 time slots to choose from on Friday. It’s like Ticketmaster. They just release a few more each day, and you just have to keep pushing the buttons. “- D. Karlsson
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“The right time to check vaccine appointments is from midnight to 3 am. I was able to help my friend find an appointment right now at 12:30 at CVS. And a few days ago [at 2 a.m], I was able to help another friend find an appointment at Safeway. That was my first attempt. In addition, Nextdoor has been helpful – neighbors have been sharing tips on how they are getting vaccination appointments. Tonight, I couldn’t find any vaccinations for my friend and I was monitoring [the] CVS, Rite Aid and Safeway websites. And finally, at 12:30 pm, the appointments appeared on the CVS website: I saw three locations suddenly opening with appointments. “—Amy Kona
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“I signed up on a number of websites that allow you to be notified when vaccines are available. One was Sonoma Valley Hospitals. They sent a notification on Monday that consultations were available for the age group over 65 on Tuesday. Wednesday week, along with a statement that there would be commitments available on Thursday and Friday this week for the age group over 50. I started checking the site every hour or so to see if the record was Shortly thereafter At 5 pm on March 31, their website showed available subscriptions, so I immediately stopped everything I was doing and signed up. I had already signed up. “—Tom Waller, Sonoma
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“I signed up for Sutter Health around 5:00 am on Thursday and started researching Sutter, all locations in California. The Sacramento appointments showed up (April 8) at certain times and I grabbed a morning appointment. I planned to go I drove to Sacramento, but then later, I tried UCSF Health for an appointment. I hit the lottery! An available time came up and I grabbed it, so it’s definitely worth checking the vaccination locations every hour or even more often. “—Christopher Wong, San Francisco
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“I was able to schedule a vaccination appointment for me and my husband today. From 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm, I continually updated the Rite Aid website and finally found two appointments, both close to our home. One is scheduled in San Rafael and one in Corte Madera . “—Jeanne Lavin, Kentfield
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An SFGATE reader did not find queries through his provider, pharmacies and MyTurn. Then he discovered the website vacinespotter.org, which tries to track all available consultations across the state.
“An appointment in San Mateo – I live in Milpitas – showed up at a Rite-Aide pharmacy. But when I clicked on their website, they let me choose any location on Rite-Aide and I made an appointment for April 7, not much far from where I live. “—Joel Ransom
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“At 9:20 am this morning, April 1, I was able to use MyTurn to secure two appointments for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine at the Oakland Coliseum for tomorrow afternoon. The hours kept disappearing as I clicked, but I kept clicking and it finally worked. It was just a lucky moment, I think. (Our ages are 52 and 54.) I entered Oakland as my location. “—Joanne Miller