Vaccines

Last updated January 19, 2021 at 3:56 PM

COVID-19 vaccination is one of the most important tools to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The State is prioritizing vaccines for equitable distribution to everyone in California who wants it. We expect to have enough supplies to vaccinate most Californians in all 58 counties by summer 2021.

On this page you will find:

COVID-19 vaccines are here
How they work
Benefits of getting vaccinated
California’s vaccination plan
Vaccination progress dashboard
Spread the news about the vaccines
Questions and answers

COVID-19 vaccines are here

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) for two COVID-19 vaccines. More vaccines may be authorized early this year.

Learn more about FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccines and watch a video on what an EUA is.

Vaccine safety is a top priority

COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the FDA have been shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials.

The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Learn how the federal government is working to ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

California formed a Scientific Safety Review Workgroup of experts to ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. This workgroup has confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the FDA are safe and effective.

How they work

Vaccines help our immune system fight infections in the future. COVID-19 vaccines will protect us from the virus that causes COVID-19 without having to get the illness.

It typically takes a few weeks after the last dose in a series to become fully protected. On the days after taking the vaccine, you may have a sore arm, aches, fatigue or fever, but these are not harmful. These symptoms signal that your immune system is developing protection from the virus.

Benefits of getting vaccinated

COVID-19 vaccines are meant to prevent you from getting COVID-19 and from spreading it to others. The ability of COVID-19 vaccines to protect us from spreading the virus to others is not yet known, but is being studied carefully.

Read more at CDC’s Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine.

California’s vaccination plan

California is allocating COVID-19 vaccines as they become available to ensure equitable distribution. Initially vaccination was limited to healthcare workers and long-term care residents.

The next to be vaccinated will be individuals who:

Have higher risk for severe disease or death (due to age or other factors)
Are unable to work at home
Live or work in geographic areas that have been highly impacted
Are most likely to spread disease to other workers or to the public

These individuals will be prioritized as follows:

Phase 1A

About 3 million people

Healthcare workers
Long-term care residents

See CDPH Allocation Guidelines for Phase 1a

Phase 1B

1B Tier One:

Individuals 65 and older
Those at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors:
- Education and childcare
- Emergency services
- Food and agriculture

1B Tier Two:

Those at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors:
- Transportation and logistics
- Industrial, commercial, residential, and sheltering facilities and services
- Critical manufacturing
Congregate settings with outbreak risk:
- Incarcerated
- Homeless

Phase 1C

Individuals 50 -64 years of age
People 16-49 years of age who have an underlying health condition or disability which increases their risk of severe COVID-19
Those at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors:
- Water and wastewater
- Defense
- Energy
- Chemical and hazardous materials
- Communications and IT
- Financial services
- Government operations / community-based essential functions

Vaccination plans for each county are available at county websites.

Vaccine prioritization and outreach by providers

All vaccination providers should:

Continue vaccinating all persons in Phase 1A
Begin vaccinating persons 65 years of age or older. Based on available supply, prioritize and target outreach efforts as follows:

Age, with persons 75 years or older prioritized due to increased risk of mortality and other severe disease
Occupational risk exposure, with individuals prioritized who work in sectors with high occupational exposure as listed in Phase 1B, Tier 1
Residence in vulnerable communities, as determined by the California Healthy Places Index or comparable local health department knowledge, to address equity and communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic

Moving through vaccine phases

Health departments and providers may offer doses promptly to people in lower priority groups when:

Demand subsides in the current groups, or
Doses are about to expire according to labeling instructions, or
Doses have been thawed and would otherwise go to waste

To achieve the timely and maximum vaccination of Californians, CDPH recommends the use of 50 percent of doses providers have received as second doses to vaccinate individuals as described above.

Read CDPH Recommendations for Moving Through Vaccine Phases and Tiers.

How vaccine decisions are made

A group of experts and a group of community representatives work together to make sure vaccines are prioritized fairly.

Drafting Guidelines Workgroup

A Drafting Guidelines Workgroup is developing California-specific guidance for the prioritization and allocation of vaccines.

See CDPH’s Workgroup page for the vaccine’s phasing and resource materials.

Community Vaccine Advisory Committee

The Community Vaccine Advisory Committee is providing input and feedback to the planning efforts and resolving barriers to equitable vaccine implementation and decision-making.

See CDPH’s committee activities page for the upcoming meeting schedule and all meeting materials.

Vaccine allocation and administration

Once a week, the federal government announces anticipated allocation figures for each state. The number of allocated doses provided by the federal government is a projection and subject to change. Local California providers are required to place their orders which are reviewed by the state and submitted to the federal government. The federal government then authorizes the order and submits the request to the manufacturer. The manufacturer or central distributor ships the vaccine directly to the local California provider. It can take a week or longer between when doses are allocated by the federal government to when they arrive at public health offices or providers and are ready for administration.

Vaccination progress dashboard

Spread the news about the vaccines

Share that vaccination against COVID-19 is here. Visit the COVID-19 Response Toolkit page to find images and videos you can post on social media.

Questions and answers

Vaccination planning

Who’s getting the vaccine now? Who is next to get it?

COVID-19 vaccines are currently available only for:

Healthcare workers
Long-term care residents
Individuals 65 and older
Those at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors:
- Education and childcare
- Emergency services
- Food and agriculture

Next on the priority list for vaccination are:

Those at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors:
- Transportation and logistics
- Industrial, commercial, residential, and sheltering facilities and services
- Critical manufacturing
Congregate settings with outbreak risk:
- Incarcerated
- Homeless

Every Californian can sign up to see if it’s their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you’re not currently eligible, you can sign up to be notified when it’s your turn.

How can I get the COVID-19 vaccination?

Most Californians will be vaccinated at:

Community vaccination sites
Doctor’s offices
Clinics
Pharmacies

If you are a healthcare worker in Los Angeles county you can get your COVID-19 vaccine appointments through the state sign up tool. Other counties and front line workers will be added for appointments as they become available.

Every Californian can sign up to see if it’s their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you’re not currently eligible, you can sign up to be notified when it’s your turn.

When and where can the general public, who are not in Phase 1, start getting vaccinated?

How can I sign-up to be a COVID-19 vaccine provider?

Getting vaccinated

How many COVID-19 vaccine doses are needed?

How much will the COVID-19 vaccine cost?

Do I need to be a California resident to get COVID-19 vaccine?

Can I register somewhere to get the COVID-19 vaccine? How will I be notified when it’s my turn to get the vaccine, and where to get it?

Yes. Every Californian can sign up to see if it’s their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you’re not currently eligible, you can sign up to be notified when it’s your turn.

Some local health jurisdictions are providing registration and notification services.

I’ve already had COVID-19. Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine?

What to expect after vaccination

Will I still need to wear a mask after getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes. How much protection the COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions is still unknown. It is important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like:

Staying home and isolating from others when sick
Wearing masks
Washing hands often
Social distancing

Together, COVID-19 vaccination and recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. We need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before we change recommendations on mask use.

Does being vaccinated mean I can visit with loved ones without risking our health?

Will the COVID-19 vaccine give me COVID-19?

Will the COVID-19 vaccine make me test positive for COVID-19?

How is my privacy protected if I take the COVID-19 vaccine?

California law strictly limits how personal information about those who are vaccinated can be shared. California negotiated with the federal government to limit the required data sharing to only information that will not allow an individual to be identified.

Vaccine limitations

I have allergies. Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

It depends. CDC recommends that:

If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get that specific vaccine.
If you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injections, you should ask your doctor if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine.
People with a history of severe allergic reactions not related to vaccines or injections may still get vaccinated. People may get vaccinated even with a:
- History of allergies to oral medications
- Family history of severe allergic reactions
- Milder allergy to vaccines
If you have a severe allergic reaction after getting the first shot, you should not get the second shot.

Can pregnant or breastfeeding women be vaccinated against COVID-19?

Yes. Pregnant women have a higher risk for complications from COVID-19 disease. There are no study results available yet on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant women. However, experts believe that the vaccines are unlikely to pose a risk to the woman or the fetus. Pregnant women can talk with a doctor about their risk of COVID-19 disease and how they might benefit from vaccination.