Hallelujah – COVID vaccine distribution has started! Here’s how to find out when it will be available to you, and how to schedule your appointment.
Last month, the CDC made recommendations for prioritization for distribution and administration of the COVID vaccine to the American population. Each state then has jurisdiction to decide to follow those recommendations, or amend their distribution guidelines.
A nuanced example of how this is being rolled out can be seen in California, currently the hardest hit state by the pandemic. While the state has decided to follow the CDC vaccine recommendations, given their immense population they added in phased prioritization tiers for different population categories from front line health care providers, front line essential workers, elderly, and the general public. Each county then is in charge of scheduling appointments for each group to get vaccinated, and managing distribution with limited availability and staff resources.
Los Angeles County, the largest in the nation, has three public health segments to distribute vaccines: Los Angeles County Department Public Health, Pasadena Public Health Department and Long Beach Health & Human Services. Residents there are advised to contact their public health departments online to schedule your COVID vaccine. Resource links below outline CDC recommendations, links to local health departments across the U.S., and California, and Los Angeles sites.
CDC Recommendation of Vaccine Recommendation
NACCHO Local Health Department Search
Los Angeles County Public Health Priority List
