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Several weeks after the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in California, many questions remain for people trying to plan their inoculations.
If you live or work in Riverside County, here’s what you need to know about the process of getting a vaccine from the county public health agency. (The county also works with community partners – such as pharmacies and emergency care facilities – who manage their own systems.)
People currently eligible for vaccination are healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities, and people 65 years of age and older who live or work in Riverside County. If you are not yet eligible, sign up to receive state notifications at myturn.ca.gov.
This is the most up-to-date information available for Riverside County. Los Angeles County information is here; Information on Orange County here.
Make a first date
First, bookmark the Riverside County vaccination website: rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine.
The county operates several large distribution sites, including Indio and Perris Fairgrounds, Corona High School, and Lake Elsinore Stadium. In a purple table on the website, you can see which locations may have appointments available. Click on the link in the right column to start the process. If it says “Complete” you will have to try again on another day.
Until February 8, the county is canceling almost all new appointments for people 85 and over. If you belong to this group, click on the blue button that says: “85 and over, click here to check availability.”
You can also call 2-1-1 from within the county for assistance, in English or Spanish, to make an appointment.
Jose Arballo Jr., senior public information specialist at the county’s public health agency, said the county typically issues public communications announcing the availability of appointments.
New appointments are usually open around noon. Recently, more than 10,000 appointments were posted at noon and were sold out within 34 minutes, Arballo said.
So be sure to refresh your browser on rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine as close to noon as possible to have the best chance of getting a date.
Get your first shot
At the time of your first meeting, go to the specified distribution site. Some are walk-in; some are driving, in which you stay in your car during the whole process.
Arballo said people shouldn’t arrive more than 30 minutes early to avoid overcrowding. Some venues are outdoors, so check the weather and dress accordingly. Officials moved operations indoors for inclement weather when possible. Wear a mask (or two).
When you arrive and line up, screening officers will make sure you have an appointment and check the time. Then you will be directed to a check-in area. You must show some ID to confirm your age and place of residence and answer a few questions. (If you work in the county or in a currently eligible industry, you will also need to provide proof.)
Once you are registered you wait for a technician to be available to give you your photo. Research has shown that smiling when you get the vaccine can reduce pain and stress. Give it a try.
After your injection, you will receive a vaccination record indicating that you have received your first dose. They will also write down the type of vaccine you received and when you are due for your second dose (21 days after the first for Pfizer vaccine; 28 days after for Moderna).
You will also be directed to a waiting area for a 15 minute observation period. It is just in case of very rare allergic reactions. When your 15 minutes are up, you’ll confirm to an observer that you’re okay and you’re on your way.
The whole process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours, Arballo said, depending on how many people are online.
Get an appointment for your second dose
Arballo said you’ll be notified – either through the dating system or by email – when it’s time for your second date. Instructions will be provided for making an appointment.
You need to receive the same vaccine – Pfizer for Pfizer, Moderna for Moderna – but you don’t have to receive it at the same distribution location, Arballo said.
Other situations
If you make your first appointment through an organization other than the county public health agency, you should confirm the second dose information with them.
Arballo pointed out that the vaccine supply the county receives can vary – sometimes it gets more or less than it expects – and that dictates the number of appointments that can be opened. “It’s a process,” he says.
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