 LATEST VACCINE NEWS FOR DISTRICT 5
COLISEUM MASS VACCINATION SITE OPENS TOMORROW!
Alameda County residents who are educators, health care workers, frontline workers, or who are at least 65 years old can now sign up for walk-up and drive through COVID-19 vaccination appointments at the Oakland Coliseum mass vaccination site, which will be operated and managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
Appointments are currently available Tuesday, February 16 and Wednesday, February 17, 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM.
Make an appointment
myturn.ca.gov
BART offers a free ride home for those vaccinated at the Coliseum
BART is prepared to support the large-scale vaccinations at the Oakland Coliseum and for a limited time will offer a free BART ride home for those who have been vaccinated at the site. .
Starting Tuesday, BART will have extra staff at the Coliseum BART station during BART operating hours to provide anyone who has received a vaccine a free $7 BART ticket on-site after showing their vaccination card with a matching date. $7 is enough fare to get home to any station in the system, except SFO station.
BART is also working to ensure those individuals who have mobility challenges will have assistance getting between the Coliseum BART Station and the vaccination site. It can be a long walk and BART is taking steps to make sure help is in place for those who need it. Read more
AC Transit Offering Fare-Free Shuttles
AC Transit's new fare-free shuttle lines will be ready to provide service for people eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The service will be fare-free, but riders must show proof of vaccination appointment upon boarding. All pick up and drop off locations will be fully accessible and ADA-compliant.
Both shuttles will operate seven days a week, from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM. Due to capacity issues related to COVID-19, social distancing measures will be enforced—limiting bus capacity to 10 riders on board at a time.
SHUTTLE #1: BART COLISEUM
Operates every 15 minutes between Coliseum BART and the Coliseum Vaccination Site with connections to bus lines 45, 46L, 73, 90, and 98. This allows riders with mobility issues direct access without having to make the long walk from Coliseum BART or nearby bus stops.
SHUTTLE #2: EASTMONT BART COLISEUM
Operates every 20 minutes between Eastmont Transit Center and Coliseum BART with connections to bus lines 1T, 40, 45, 46L, 57, 73, 90, 98, and NL before going to the Vaccination Site. This allows riders in East Oakland neighborhoods direct access to the vaccine.
As the situation is ever-evolving, check back HERE for the latest updates. For additional information, follow AC Transit on Twitter or call 510-891-4777.
CITY OF BERKELEY EXPANDS VACCINE ELIGIBILITY
The City of Berkeley is expanding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations coordinated through the City to include all those who live or work in Berkeley who are currently employed in grocery stores, convenience stores, or in-person education and childcare settings.
Those who fit into one of these groups, as well as Berkeley residents who are at least 65 years old, can now register for appointments at a vaccination site at the foot of Buchanan Street in Albany. Appointments are available Wednesday, February 17 - Saturday, February 20.
Make your appointment online:
Wednesday, Feb. 17 & Thursday, Feb. 18
Friday, Feb. 19 & Saturday, Feb. 20
After scheduling, you will receive a confirmation email with the date and time of your appointment. We will verify appointments with identification at the site. You will not be asked about immigration status.
COVID-19 vaccines are free to everyone. You do not need insurance to get a vaccine. However, those who have medical insurance will need to provide their insurance information.
Questions? Call Curative, Inc. at 888-702-9042.
Employment verification required for those under 65
For employment-based eligibility, we are following California Department of Public Health vaccine allocation guidelines.
To qualify for these appointments, people under 65 must live or work in Berkeley and currently be working:
- in a grocery or convenience store
- providing in-person education or childcare services (this includes in-person childcare in informal settings, such as nannies)
- as a health care worker or in-home caregiver
Those receiving the vaccine based on their employment will need to provide documentation to confirm eligibility at the site. They can use:
- a recent pay stub
- a letter from their employer
- an employee ID badge
- If using an employee ID badge without a picture, you will need a picture ID to verify identify.
Instructions: uploading photo of medical ID card
If you have health insurance, you’ll be asked to upload a photo of your medical ID card when scheduling your appointment.
Follow these steps to add your card:
- Take a photo of your card.
- Send the photo to your email.
- Open email and save the photo to a file on your computer.
- Upload the photo from the saved file using file manager.
If you are unable to do this on the insurance page, click on the box that says “I do not have my insurance card” and click continue to move to the next screen. You may have to enter some additional medical information. Bring your medical card with you to the appointment.
If you do not have health insurance, disregard these instructions. You do not need insurance to be vaccinated and will not be charged to receive a vaccine.
Transportation for those in need
For Berkeley residents who need assistance getting to the site, a ride service supported by the City can help some people get to their appointments for a $15 fee.
After you’ve scheduled your vaccination appointment, call Easy Does It at (510) 704-2111 to check your eligibility, register for services, and schedule a ride.
Easy Does It will ask health screening questions to ensure the safety of the rider and the driver. Personal protective equipment is worn by drivers, and face coverings are required of riders.
VACCINATIONS FOR THOSE 65 AND UP NOW AVAILABLE
THROUGH CVS AND RITE-AID PHARMACIES
CVS and Rite-Aid pharmacies are also now scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for health care workers and those at least 65 years old. Use the links below to schedule an appointment. Keep in mind that supplies are limited and wait times may be long.
CVS COVID-19 vaccine appointments
Rite-Aid COVID-19 vaccine appointments
WHEN CAN I GET VACCINATED?
Although not everyone is eligible right now to receive the vaccine, you can sign up now to receive notification when it is your turn:
City of Berkeley Notification List
Alameda County Notification List
English Spanish Chinese (Simplified)
State of California Notification List
Large health care providers, such as Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health, receive their own limited supply of vaccine through the state and are currently scheduling appointments:
-
Sutter Health patients who are healthcare workers or age 65 and older can schedule appointments through their website or by calling (844) 987-6115.
-
Kaiser Permanente has stated they will contact members who are eligible directly when appointments are available. Members who are health care workers, emergency medical service providers, or long term care patients can schedule an e-visit to request a vaccine appointment. For more information, visit www.kp.org/covidvaccine.
-
Stanford Health Care is currently offering the vaccine to health care workers who work in Alameda County and patients who have received care at Stanford Health Care at least once in the last three years, are aged 65+, and live in Alameda County. For more information, visit https://stanfordhealthcare.org/covid19updates.
VACCINE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP
Residents and representatives from a variety of organizations across Alameda County have been invited to support safe, equitable vaccine distribution. While the State’s framework prioritizes vaccination for different groups of people over four phases, Alameda County has some local control over how those priorities are put into practice. We are seeking input on: vaccine prioritization, how to build more trust, effective messaging and managing misinformation.
All meetings will be held via Zoom Webinar and Facebook Live, and will be open to the public as listen-only attendees, with opportunity for public comment and written Q&A. Meeting notes and recordings are posted regularly on our website.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VACCINES?
Understandably, many of you have questions and concerns about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Visit our vaccine FAQ page for answers and resources for commonly asked questions.
|
