Getting a vaccine appointment in Southern California is tricky. Here’s where to go for information, and how to sign up.
Anyone who has gone to register for a vaccine appointment for themselves or a loved one in California will tell you the process is confusing, difficult, and at times, seemingly impossible. Rules vary county by county, so you can find out if you’re eligible at myturn.ca.gov or check your county’s public health website. You can also consult the state’s table that outlines eligibility.
If you’re one of the people who are eligible – congratulations! Now you get to move on to the next step of securing an appointment. Our best advice is to check the registration site a few times a day. Randomly, at different times during the week, the city and county officials will open up large numbers of appointments, and the trick is to notice and sign up quickly when that happens. Be sure to have your insurance card handy, as you will be asked for your information. (If you don’t have insurance you can still get the vaccine for free, but if you do have insurance they will bill your plan, and there is no cost to you.)
To move through the questions quickly, only fill in the required information (skipping the optional questions). Some people run in to a glitch after they’ve selected their appointment time, with the screen cycling back to the beginning of the process. If that happens to you, double check your email to see if you received an email confirmation of your appointment. If you have, then you are all set!
You can read more on scheduling vaccine appointments in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, Ventura County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County here at the LA Times.
