COVID-19 vaccines still available for adults in OC
by Patty Marsters
pattym@lwsb.com
To achieve herd immunity in Orange County, it’s important to get at least 75 percent of the population fully vaccinated. Anyone 16 and older who has not yet been vaccinated is able to schedule an appointment through several channels, including the Orange County Health Care Agency’s partner othena.com and California’s myturn.ca.gov, as well as many local pharmacies, hospitals and clinics. To help people find locations where they can make appointments, there is also the CDC’s vaccinefinder.org; appointments cannot be made through this site, but it will redirect you to locations that have vaccines in stock.
The COVID-19 vaccinations are free, but sites may ask for people’s health insurance information. They may also ask for proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill.
The county currently has several Point of Distribution (POD) sites: at the Anaheim Convention Center, Soka University, OC Fair & Events Center, and Santa Ana College. Appointments can be made for these sites by people who have registered with othena.com.
People who want to register with the state’s myturn.ca.gov site can also call (833) 422-4255 for assistance.
Some pharmacies will list which vaccines are in stock. You can check for vaccine availability at www.cvs.com/immunizations/ covid-19-vaccine, www.riteaid. com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier, www.walgreens.com/topic/ promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp, www.walmart.com/cp/1228302 and www. costco. com/ covidvaccine. html. The state suggests people also check with their health care providers, who may have vaccines available in their facilities.
It is recommended you wait 14 days after any vaccination before getting another one. For example, people who have been inoculated against such illnesses as shingles or whooping cough should wait until 14 days have passed before getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and vice versa. According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer of Moderna vaccines or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
