How to get a coronavirus vaccine in the Bay Area

Getting the coronavirus vaccine is always… incredibly complicated.

California allows residents over 65 to get vaccinated, as well as healthcare workers and residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The state also lets teachers, child care providers, emergency service workers, and food and agriculture workers who may be exposed at work get vaccinated.

But the number of people technically eligible for the vaccine has grown much faster than the number of doses available. Cue chaos, bitter resentment and collapse of the system. With so much going on – and changing – so fast, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions.

Has California Met Governor Gavin Newsom’s Target of 1 Million Vaccines Distributed Today?

It’s not really clear, due to data issues, but the condition was probably close. Yet this week, public health official Erica Pan said it could take up to five months for all Californians 65 and older to be vaccinated. This is based on the fact that there are over 6 million Californians this age and the state only receives 400,000 to 500,000 doses per week.

One of the main problems is that the federal government, which allocates vaccines to the state, did not get as many doses as expected. And the companies that make the approved vaccines – Moderna and Pfizer – can only produce a limited number of doses. Without a centralized healthcare system, receiving gunfire was left to a patchwork of agencies, government offices, and large healthcare systems such as Kaiser and Sutter.

Does President Biden have a plan to speed things up?

Yes. Biden has said he wants to deliver 100 million doses in the first 100 days of his administration. So the state can get more vaccines, which could speed up the schedule Pan mentioned. And Pfizer and Moderna are unlikely to remain the sole suppliers of vaccines for long. Several other vaccines are well advanced in clinical trials and, if successful, these companies could also gain permission to begin manufacturing and distributing coronavirus vaccines.

How to reserve a time to take the photo?

In California, some counties are setting up mass vaccination sites, while others tell people to speak to their health care provider. The process is not always fair. Sometimes it was like trying to get tickets to a hot gig – with those who log in at the right time or are in the right place or have the right connections to access them while people with fewer resources and less luck await. Here’s what some of the Bay Area’s top vendors and counties are saying, starting Thursday. (Note: This information is constantly changing and the phone lines and online registration pages have been overwhelmed to the point of crashing.)

Kaiser Permanente

After saying earlier it would schedule appointments for people 65 and over and provide a phone number, the HMO downsized. According to the vaccines page on his website, Kaiser now says he will send a letter or email patients aged 75 and over to make an appointment. It no longer provides a phone number for people to proactively book an appointment. Kaiser allows healthcare workers, patients and long-term care staff and emergency medical services workers to set up an electronic visit to book a vaccine.

Sutter Health (Palo Alto Medical Foundation)

Sutter’s vaccine website says it schedules appointments for healthcare workers and those aged 75 and over, prioritizing patients most at risk. Sutter patients can call 844-987-6115 to make an appointment or log into their My Health Online portal to book time online.

Stanford Healthcare

The Stanford coronavirus site says it vaccinates its primary care patients, but eligibility varies by county. Residents of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties who are at least 75 years old can be vaccinated at 2585 Samaritan Drive, San Jose. Starting Friday, January 22, he will also be offering vaccinations at the Arrillaga Center at 341 Galvez Street on the Stanford campus. Beginning Thursday, Stanford patients 65 years and older in Alameda and Contra Costa counties can make an appointment for the vaccine at 6121 Hollis Street in Emeryville. Eligible patients can book an appointment through the MyHealth portal or by calling 650-498-9000.

Health El Camino

El Camino allows residents of Santa Clara County aged 75 and over – who are not patients of Kaiser, Sutter, Stanford, or Santa Clara Valley Medical – to book an appointment for a vaccine online.

John Muir Health

John Muir says he plans to start vaccinating patients 75 and over from next week. JMH says he will initially be able to offer around 3,000 dates per week, but that is expected to double by mid-February. The system indicates that it will contact patients to schedule an appointment using patient portal messages, emails, text messages and phone calls.

Alameda County

Alameda said she is currently limiting her vaccinations to health workers, but plans to expand to others in the coming weeks. The county’s website allows residents to sign up to receive notification when they are able to schedule a vaccine.

Contra Costa County

Contra Costa schedules vaccine appointments for residents 65 and older. Eligible residents can complete an online form to request an appointment. Residents without Internet access or who have difficulty using the form can call 833-829-2626.

San Francisco County

San Francisco has implemented an online notification system that allows residents to register. Residents and workers can receive a text or email letting them know it’s their turn. The city says it is working with health care providers to set up high-volume vaccination sites and sites in neighborhoods most affected by the virus.

San Mateo County

San Mateo vaccinates healthcare workers, residents and staff in long-term care homes. The county’s website says it is moving into the next phase, which includes residents 65 and older, but those people should contact their local health care provider to get the shot. The county’s San Mateo Medical Center says it will contact its patients who meet the criteria to receive a vaccine.