Here is how to get a COVID vaccination this week in Stanislaus County
As the state extends eligibility for coronavirus vaccine to everyone 16 and older starting Thursday, it should open other opportunities for residents to find the shots.
Stanislaus County jumped ahead of other counties in opening its public vaccine clinics April 1 to adults of any age and to late teen-agers.
Health care providers and pharmacy chains, which typically follow state guidelines, said they will administer COVID vaccine to the newly eligible, but it may take some time to get an appointment.
“As always, our ability to actually schedule appointments for patients remains dependent on (vaccine) supply,” a spokesperson for Sutter Health of Sacramento said Friday.
Sutter, which has offered vaccine appointments to patients age 50 and older since April 1, said it will follow the state guidelines that go into effect Thursday. Sutter patients age 16 and older are advised not to call their physician’s office, but can use an online portal or a dedicated phone number for vaccine appointments.
Sutter has a large-scale center in Modesto for COVID vaccinations and administers the shots at other locations.
As of Saturday, about 263,600 people in Stanislaus County had received at least one vaccine dose. The move to broad eligibility comes with projections of increased supplies of vaccine from the federal government as California shoots for a full reopening of its economy June 15.
Kaiser Permanente recognizes the new 16-and-older eligibility on a COVID-19 vaccine page. Kaiser said it looks forward to vaccine supply growing to support the additional populations but wasn’t able to “preschedule appointments for newly eligible individuals in advance of April 15.”
Doctors Medical Center is offering Pfizer vaccine clinics on Monday and Tuesday this week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its 1400 Florida Ave. building. “We will be administering about 345 second doses and 1,200 first doses,” spokeswoman Krista Deans said by email. “These are administered on a first-come, first-served basis for those currently eligible in Stanislaus County.” Learn more at www.facebook.com/events/454418362280671.
For Stanislaus County residents, there is a full schedule of public clinics in the coming week, offering the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna shots and single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Regardless of the new state eligibility starting Thursday, county residents 16 and older are eligible for these county clinics set for Monday through Saturday.
Teens who are 16 or 17 years old are approved for only the Pfizer vaccine and should be accompanied by a parent.
People are encouraged to use the state’s online My Turn program to sign up for appointments at the county clinics in Modesto, Turlock, Oakdale and Patterson. The county clinics also serve residents who walk up.
Community health clinics are another source of COVID vaccinations.
Golden Valley has Johnson & Johnson single-dose shots
Golden Valley Health Centers said Friday it has received more than 1,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine thanks to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
The nonprofit health centers decided to make the single-dose vaccine available at a one-day event Thursday for anyone 18 or older who is a Stanislaus County resident or works in the county. The shots will be administered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at St. Frances of Rome church, 2836 Topeka St., in Riverbank. Participants do not need to be Golden Valley patients.
Those interested in the Riverbank event are asked to schedule a vaccination by calling Golden Valley at 209-359-2026. The clinic also will serve people who walk up, but supply is limited.
In an effort to reach out to communities, the county Health Services Agency said it is providing about 700 first doses of vaccine to neighborhood pharmacies in Riverbank, Waterford, Ceres, Oakdale and west and south Modesto. The agency has a list of approved providers at www.schsa.org.
Beside healthcare providers, pharmacy chains including Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid offer COVID vaccinations at no charge through a federal program.
Friday, the website for CVS pharmacies said coronavirus vaccine appointments were fully booked at Modesto stores. But that changes from time to time and people can check with other pharmacies.
Monica Prinzing, a spokesperson for CVS, said its drugstores in 49 states are participating in the federal retail pharmacy program. The COVID vaccine is made available to people meeting the criteria in each state.
Prinzing said customers are encouraged to continue checking for an open appointment at a CVS pharmacy in their area. “As more vaccine supply becomes available from the government, we will be able to schedule more appointments and vaccinate more people,” her statement said.
Here are the details for vaccine clinics this week operated by the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency:
- Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Stanislaus State University, 1 University Circle, Turlock. First doses Pfizer.
- Monday, from 3-7 p.m., Hughson Community Center mobile clinic, 2307 Fourth St. Single-dose Johnson & Johnson. No appointments needed.
- Tuesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Modesto Centre Plaza, 1000 L St. First and second doses Pfizer.
- Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., Gladys Lemmons Senior Center, 450 East A St., Oakdale. First doses Moderna.
- Tuesday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Salvation Army mobile clinic, 893 Lander Ave., Turlock. Single-dose Johnson & Johnson. No appointments needed.
- Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Stanislaus State University, 1 University Circle, Turlock. First and second doses Pfizer.
- Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hammon Senior Center, 1033 W. Las Palmas Ave., Patterson. First and second doses Moderna.
- Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Modesto Centre Plaza, 1000 L St. First doses Pfizer.
- Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Gladys Lemmons Senior Center, 450 East A St., Oakdale. First and second doses Moderna.
- Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hammon Senior Center, 1033 W. Las Palmas Ave., Patterson. First and second doses Moderna.
- Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Stanislaus State University, 1 University Circle, Turlock. First and second doses Pfizer.
The clinics are for people who live or work in Stanislaus County. Proof of residence may include a utility bill, car registration, voter registration or other documents. The county has information about coronavirus vaccine and weekly clinic schedules at www.schsa.org.
This story was originally published April 11, 2021 at 4:39 AM.
