How to Find a COVID Vaccination Appointment in Los Angeles
Francesca Billington is a freelance reporter. Prior to that, she was a general assignment reporter for dot.LA and has also reported for KCRW, the Santa Monica Daily Press and local publications in New Jersey. She graduated from Princeton in 2019 with a degree in anthropology.
Now that California residents 50 and older qualify for a COVID-19 vaccine — all adults will qualify on April 15 — Angelenos are scrambling to find and book appointments. We've pulled together some resources, including places to find them and answers to questions people are asking. Have more questions? Let us know and we'll try to get it answered.
When will I qualify for a vaccine?
On April 1, all California residents over 50 became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. All adults 16 and older will be able to get shots starting April 15.
How do you sign up for the second dose?
Of the three vaccines now available, only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only a single shot. If you get either Moderna or Pfizer you'll be able to book a follow-up either when you make your first appointment or when you arrive at your sit to get the first shot.
Can children get the vaccine yet? Pregnant women?
There isn't enough information yet to begin vaccinating people under 16. Folks 16 and 17 can receive the Pfizer vaccine, but the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are meant for those 18 and older.
Pregnant women can get any of the three vaccines. Based on what's known about the vaccines, experts don't believe they pose any risk.
What should I know after getting the vaccine? How protected am I?
People are considered fully vaccinated either two weeks after their second dose for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or two weeks after the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Once you're fully vaccinated, health officials say you can visit indoors with a small group of other fully vaccinated people without physically distancing or wearing a mask. You can also visit indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without those safety precautions (unless they or those they live with are at high risk for getting severely sick).
For more commonly asked questions, check out the county's FAQ sheet.
Find out if you're eligible and browse appointments:
- MyTurn.ca.gov is the state website that can determine whether it's your time and help you book a slot. If you're not yet eligible, the site will send you a notification when you are.
- The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health lists slots under the drop-bar 3 here titled "Look for an appointment." You can search by location, type of vaccination site or by online appointment system. The website also lists eligibility requirements and offers a vaccine newsletter for updates.
- Carbon Health is powering appointments at L.A. City sites including Dodger Stadium.
- Curative offers vaccines at El Camino College.
- Kaiser Permanente lists openings—and you don't have to be a Kaiser patient to receive a vaccine.
- Walgreens, CVS, Ralphs, Rite Aid, and Albertsons let you book online, too. Costco and Vons have unique sites for individual pharmacies that can be found on the county's website.
- Residents with disabilities or without computer access can call the L.A. Dept of Public Health at 1-833-540-0473 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. all week.
A few volunteer-powered websites are frequently updated with open slots in your area:
- Try VaccinateCA to find open times that might not be listed on your county or city's website.
- Find My Vax LA refreshes every few minutes with new appointments at a range of sites across L.A.
- VaxxMaxx collects appointments at CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid locations. Be sure to refine your search by selecting California and the pharmacy chain you'd like to visit.
- VaccineSpotterCA scans for slots at pharmacy chains. Refine the search with your zip code and the distance you're able to travel.
- JabHunter displays the phone numbers and locations to appointments listed on My Turn.
- Vaccine Fairy is a national initiative that accepts appointment requests to book a slot on your behalf. Filling out the form does not guarantee an appointment, but you'll receive an email confirmation if one is booked at your preferred time and location.
- Get Out the Shot: Los Angeles is a group of volunteers that can help you book an appointment. They aim to serve vulnerable communities in need of finding slots, specifically nannies, house cleaners and essential workers. Call (213) 986-7604 or, if in need of scheduling for a large number of people, email at GOTS.LosAngeles@gmail.com.
Twitter accounts to follow:
- @FindMyVaxLA_Bot is the automated Twitter account synched to the Find My Vax LA website. It blasts new appointments across the city all day.
- @CovidVaccineCA and @CovidVaccineLA both display slots posted on the MyTurn platform.
- @LAPublicHealth is the L.A. County of Public Health's account that tweets a mix of open vaccine appointments and other info about COVID.
- VaccineCA posts about appointments available through MyTurn.
Looking for more info? This bustling Reddit megathread is filled with tips and reddittors discussing their experiences finding appointments. Get Out the Shot's Facebook group offers similar information.
This story was last updated on Thursday, April 1.
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Francesca Billington is a freelance reporter. Prior to that, she was a general assignment reporter for dot.LA and has also reported for KCRW, the Santa Monica Daily Press and local publications in New Jersey. She graduated from Princeton in 2019 with a degree in anthropology.
Image Source: Archer