To schedule an appointment, please visit the County vaccination page or call the COVID-19 helpline at (909) 387-3911, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Appointment or Walk-up: Getting a Vaccine Couldn’t Be Easier
According to San Bernardino County health officials, the county has reached the point where those complacent or hesitant about getting a COVID-19 vaccine need to take action. And with walk-ups now allowed at all County-operated sites and many if not most privately-run sites, getting that protection couldn’t be easier.
There are 12 ongoing County sites distributing doses every week, along with dozens of hospitals, health centers, clinics or pharmacies and a revolving handful of special event sites which now include many high schools (see accompanying story).
“Most people currently unvaccinated are not those who have strong objections to getting one,” said Interim County Public Health Director Andrew Goldfrach. “Rather, it’s younger adults who simply haven’t felt an urgency to do so as they see case rates fall and businesses open up. We cannot stress strongly enough, however, that to delay getting your vaccine is simply an unnecessary risk. Why fool around when there is a possibility of serious illness, long-term problems or even death?”
Ongoing County-operated sites
All 12 County-operated sites operate Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All sites are offering the Pfizer vaccine and both appointments and walk-ups are accepted.
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Adelanto, Columbia Middle School (14409 Aster Rd.)
- Apple Valley, Our Lady of the Desert Catholic Church (affiliated with Providence St. Joseph Health, 18386 Corwin Rd.)
- Bloomington, Ayala Park Community Center (18313 Valley Blvd.)
- Hesperia, Hesperia Health Center (16453 Bear Valley Rd.)
- Joshua Tree, Copper Mountain College (6162 Rotary Way)
- Montclair, Montclair Place (5060 E North Montclair Plaza Lane)
- Ontario, Ontario Convention Center (2000 E. Convention Center Way)
- Rancho Cucamonga, Inland Empire Health Plan (10801 6th St.)
- Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Cucamonga Sports Complex (8303 Rochester Ave.)
- Rialto, Grace Vargas Senior Center (1411 S. Riverside Ave.)
- San Bernardino, National Orange Show Event Center (689 South E St.)
- Victorville, Hook Community Center (14973 Joshua St.)
- Yucaipa, Yucaipa Senior Center (12202 1st St.)
People who walk-up to a vaccination site should be prepared to register in person, which will include answering health-screening questions. Appointments can be made for all sites at sbcovid19.com/vaccine.
Hospitals, health centers, clinics and pharmacies
In addition to the above ongoing County-operated vaccine sites, many hospitals in San Bernardino County have vaccines on hand, as well as several clinics and health centers.
Individuals can use the County website or go through their physician groups associated with Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Loma Linda University Health, San Antonio Regional Hospital, Mountains Community Hospital, Redlands Community Hospital, Bear Valley Community Healthcare or the San Bernardino Clinic.
In addition, Moderna vaccines are being given at the San Bernardino County Health Centers in San Bernardino, Ontario, Hesperia and Adelanto.
Finally, there are participating pharmacies administering doses throughout the county, including Albertsons, Costco, Ralphs, Rite-Aid, Sav-On, Vons, Walgreens and Walmart, as well as many independent pharmacies. Individuals should check directly with their preferred, neighborhood pharmacy, or again, check the list at sbcovid19.com/vaccine.
All You Need to Know About Current Mask Requirements
Indoor Masks Will Remain Mandatory in California until June 15
Although federal guidelines last week said vaccinated people need not wear masks outdoors and in many indoor situations, the announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also stipulated that states supersede these guidelines.
Although San Bernardino County leaders believe the CDC guidelines are prudent, the State of California is keeping its indoor mask requirement in place statewide until June 15 to coincide with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s previously announced date when statewide color-tier restrictions will be lifted.
“On June 15, California plans to implement the CDC’s guidelines around masking to allow fully vaccinated Californians to go without a mask in most indoor settings,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly in a statement. “This four-week period will give Californians time to prepare for this change while we continue our relentless focus on delivering vaccines, particularly in underserved communities.”
Face coverings are not required for anyone outdoors except at crowded events, and for those unvaccinated, when social distancing cannot be maintained.
Important travel rules regarding masks
The biggest exception to the mask guidelines nationwide has to do with travel and public transportation.
Specifically, airline travelers will need to wear masks within airports and while on planes for the duration of their flight, except when eating or drinking for brief periods of time. This rule is being enforced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and is in effect until September 13, 2021.
In addition, the mask requirement is in effect for anyone traveling on trains, subways, buses (including school buses), taxis, trolleys, ferries and ride-share vehicles. This applies to transportation hubs or terminals. The rule does not apply for children under two or for disabled persons who cannot safely wear a mask because of their health condition.
Local stores and restaurants taking mask extension in stride
Californians have been living with the indoor mask mandate for over a year, so the additional month isn’t causing much concern.
“There’s certainly more of a ‘better safe than sorry’ attitude we are seeing, especially when we see flare-ups of the virus in other countries,” said County Health Officer Dr. Michael Sequeira. “Given just under half of our county population has even a partial vaccination, the additional month gives time for the vaccine-hesitant to get on board.”
County health departments are allowed to be stricter than state guidelines, but they can’t be more lax. All Southern California counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, must follow State rules regarding masks.
Hear the KGGI radio spot here
Inland Empire Radio Stations Personalize Vaccination Radio Spots
Several radio stations that serve the Inland Empire have begun running 15 and 30 second Public Service Announcements (PSAs) funded by the County encouraging people to get vaccinated. The stations are across different musical genres, including Spanish-language stations, and are being read and personalized by DJs.
The stations not only cover the Inland Empire valley but the High Desert as well and are scheduled to run through the end of May, but will likely continue into June. English language stations participating in the campaign include KGGI-FM, KCAL-FM, KOLA-FM, KFRG-FM, KPWK-AM, KATJ-FM, KCDC-FM and KZXY-FM. Spanish language stations include KXVV-FM, KCAL-AM, KXSB-FM and KRQB-FM.
The decision to allow stations to personalize their PSAs was made to ensure that listeners would hear the familiar voices of their favorite DJs delivering the vaccine message.
“We’ve reached a stage where the vaccine hesitant need to know it’s time to take the time to protect themselves and others,” said County Public Information Officer David Wert. “Our radio partners share in our mission to get as many of our residents vaccinated so we can safely resume life as normal, and they approached reading these spots enthusiastically!”
County High Schools Focus Vaccination Efforts on Students
Continuing efforts to vaccinate a majority of residents and bring the COVID-19 pandemic to a close, San Bernardino County is teaming up with local high schools to conduct vaccinations on campuses throughout the county.
The campaign is primarily focused on inoculating young people between the ages of 12 and 15, who recently became eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Fifty county high schools are currently participating in the program, which is open to any student, family member or community member.
“Since the beginning of the year, our effort to defeat the pandemic has largely focused on vaccinating as many residents as possible, with an initial concentration on vulnerable older residents,” said Interim Public Health Director Andrew Goldfrach. “While our elderly population has largely taken advantage of opportunities to get a shot, many of our young people have so far delayed scheduling an appointment, and many others have only just become eligible. This provides an additional option for them to obtain a shot quickly and easily.”
Vaccinations will be administered by medical professionals from the County Department of Public Health and Office of Emergency Services, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Loma Linda University Health and Redlands Community Hospital. Residents can pre-register on MyTurn.ca.gov or simply walk up to get a shot. Students or others under the age 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present at the time of vaccination to provide written consent.
Sheriff Update on Inmates and Employees Testing Positive for COVID
A total of 1,003 County jail inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic, and all of the inmates have recovered.
A total of 1,030 department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and 1,021 of the employees have recovered from the virus. Other employees are expected to return to work in the next few weeks. It is unknown when or where the employees were infected with the virus. The department continues to encourage all department members to heed the warnings of health officials.
Latest Stats
297,349 Confirmed Cases (up 0% from the previous day)
4,518 Deaths (up 0% from the previous day)
3,047,903 Tests (up 0.1% from the previous day)
For more statistics from the COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, click the desktop or mobile tab on the County’s sbcovid19.com website.
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