Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council
Mayor's Office Updates -- there's a lot of great updates here
Posted on 04/30/21
4-30-21
We have come to the end of April. I hope you all had a lovely week. This past week we saw Sun Valley with a high case rate, up 73%, and new cases increased by 35%. North Hills case rate increased by 29% and the number of new cases increased by 12%. Let's continue to stay safe.
- COVID-19 Tier: We are now averaging 400-450 cases and 400 hospitalizations a day.
- This will be our first week qualifying for Yellow Tier
- Test positivity rates dropped; keeping this for an additional week will allow us to
go into Yellow Tier by the middle of next week
- LA Regional COVID Fund: $10,000 grants to personal care and retail businesses. 470 grants will be deployed. Apply today! Applications due before 11:59 pm on Sunday, 5/2
- Restaurant Relief Fund: The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. Applications will open on Monday, May 3, 2021, at 9 am.
- Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG): program established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees. Eligible entities include:
- Live venue operators or promoters
- Theatrical producers
- Live performing arts organization operators
- Museum operators
- Motion picture theater operators (including owners)
- Talent representatives
- APPLY HERE
- Round 6 CA Relief Grant: Qualifying small businesses and operators of nonprofits receive grants between $5,000 and $25,000. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, May 4. If you applied in the previous rounds and were not selected, you do not need to reapply and may be chosen during this new round.
- 55-Hour Extended Closure of US Rte 101: Freeway will be closed between Friday, April 30th at 10 p.m. and Monday, May 3rd at 5 a.m.
- Traffic detours will be as follows:
- When traveling S/B 101 from the San Fernando Valley area approaching the 10/101 Split
- Exit to S/B 101 closed
- E/B 10 open
- Updated LA County protocols related to COVID-19: Click on the following links for the updates to the following categories
Mayor's State of the City will be Monday, April 19, 2021 -- see below for more info
4-16-21
On April 15, the City's vaccination program hit the
1 million vaccines milestone. For the time being, we will continue to utilize the Pfizer vaccine at our Mobile sites until we get further medical guidance. Your East Valley Area Rep was recently featured in
Voyage LA's online magazine. If you have some time this weekend, take a look at my interview
here.
- Case Numbers: Sunland (up 28%) and North Hollywood (up 23%) have high case rates this week. 6 out of 10 of the highest new case neighborhoods are in the Valley. North Hollywood has the highest number of new cases in the City again this week, up 26%. High numbers of new cases exist in Van Nuys and Sylmar.
- FEMA Funeral Expense Relief: Applications still being accepted for the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program at (844) 684-6333 and (800) 462-7585 (TTY) for individuals who are hard of hearing. Hours are Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- LAUSD Grab & Go Centers closed today. Students who continue with distance learning may pick up meals at walk-up tables at any of the open schools.
- Grant Funding Opportunity: Northeast Valley Best Start is providing funding to community organizations and elementary schools that are working towards overcoming inequities in the NE SFV. Eligible cities are Pacoima, San Fernando, Arleta, Lake View Terrace, and Sylmar. The grants will be chosen by the following priorities:
- Technology
- Protective Factors & Education
- Emotional Well-being/mental health
- $40,000 "Complete Your Journey" Scholarship: This scholarship program is now open to students from the class of 2022. Students have until Wednesday, June 30 to complete this first step and earn a chance for a $500 scholarship. Students who complete all steps will be eligible for the next $40,000 "Complete Your Journey" scholarship. Apply by going to cb.org/bigfuture
- California Restaurant Foundation Resilience Fund: Providing grants of up to $3,500 to single-unit restaurants in Los Angeles County with fewer than 50 employees. Priority will be given to restaurants owned by women and people of color. Applications will be accepted until April 18th. For additional information, click here.
- Mayor's State of the City: Tune live on Facebook this April 19th at 5:15 pm to listen to the Mayor's 2021 STOC Address. He will review our budget plans for this incoming year.
- MEND & Blue Shield Food Giveaway: Tomorrow in Pacoima, see attached flyer
Have a wonderful weekend,
--
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Caroline Menjivar, MSW
she, her, hers
East Valley Area Representative| Citywide LGBTQ+ Liaison
Office of Mayor Garcetti
213-713-5097
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Sign up for the East Valley COVID-19 Updates HERE.
4-2-21
- Orange Tier Reopenings Starting April 5th:
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Restaurants: indoor capacity increase to 50% or 200 people (whichever is less)
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Bars that don't sell food: outdoor only and can apply for Al Fresco
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Breweries: indoor capacity at 25% or 100 (whichever is less)
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Movie Theaters: indoor capacity increase to 50% or 200 people (whichever is less)
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Bowling Alleys/Indoor Family Entertainment can reopen with limited capacity
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Gyms/Fitness Centers: indoor capacity increase to 25%
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Museums/Zoos/Aquariums: indoor capacity increase to 50%
- Vaccine Eligibility Expansion: New essential workforce groups have been added to the vaccine eligibility list. Below are the current eligible sectors for the vaccine.
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All persons who are 50 and older
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Private domestic workers, such as Gardeners, Landscape workers (must work more than 20 hours per week)
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Private domestic workers, such as Nannies (must work more than 20 hours per week)
- School Reopening: Schools are on their way to reopening and making sure they do it in a smooth and safe process. Schools will be providing a free testing program and will be offering vaccines to families in the future
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- Emergency Rental Assistance Program: While applications are currently being accepted until April 30, 2021 through hcidla.lacity.org or by calling the hotline at (833) 373-0587, webinars are being held to answer any and all of your questions. Next one:
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- Tuesday, 4/6 at 1:00 PM live broadcast via HCID's social media pages (including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) – HCID is hoping to have this broadcast in both English and Spanish, and it will be available on those pages after the event as well.
- Grant Opportunity Keep Our Shops on the Block: The L.A. County Dept. of Consumer and Business Affairs is offering additional financial support in the form of $10,000 grants to personal care and retail businesses. Applications open from April 5-11, 2021.
3-27-21
Good morning East Valley,
The County of Los Angeles has now administered around 3.2M vaccines and slightly over 1M doses were second doses. The county is now estimated to be entering the Orange Tier in early April but we will need to remain in the Red Tier for two more weeks while sustaining Orange Tier metrics before officially reclassifying into the less restrictive Orange Tier.
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School Reopenings: School reopenings are being handled in the utmost careful phased way. It is estimated that all elementary schools and early education centers will open the week of April 19th and all middle and high schools will reopen the week of April 26th. More information to come
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FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance: Beginning April applications will be accepted for financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
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Eligibility is based on :
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The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
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The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
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The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national
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There is no citizenship requirement for the deceased person
- Grant Opportunity for Small Business and Non-Profits: Round 5 is now open through March 31st. Small Businesses and NPOs can be granted from 5-25k dollars. More info at https://careliefgrant.com/partners/county/
This week marks another milestone in our vaccination effort in Los Angeles.
Beginning yesterday, people with certain severe underlying health conditions are eligible to be vaccinated. Vaccines are now also open to veterans of all ages who are eligible for VA healthcare and enrolled with the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
And this week, we will offer approximately 55,000 first dose appointments at City-run sites –– and there are still appointments available for those who are currently eligible.
I know it’s frustrating that we still don’t have enough vaccines for every Angeleno –– but we are making steady progress. Eventually, we’ll be able to knock down the tier system and open this life-saving shot to everyone. So as soon as you become eligible, roll up your sleeve and get the shot.
- ELIGIBLE NOW: Starting today, vaccinations are open to residents between 16 and 64 years old who have certain disabilities or severe underlying medical conditions. L.A. County has also opened vaccinations to janitorial and custodial workers and public transit workers and dedicated public works employees who are responding to emergencies. Vaccinations remain open for those who were already eligible: teachers and workers in education and childcare, restaurant workers, food and agriculture, and emergency services on the eligibility list, residents 65 and older, healthcare workers, certain essential frontline workers, and residents and staff of skilled nursing facilities.
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VACCINES FOR VETERANS: Vaccines are now open to veterans of all ages who are eligible for VA healthcare and enrolled with the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. Veterans are encouraged to call the vaccine appointment line at (310) 268-4900 or visit the VA’s website to schedule an appointment.
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‘MOVE’ VACCINE EQUITY PROGRAM: Our MOVE initiative is deploying mobile vaccination clinics to the most vulnerable parts of Los Angeles. We’ve partnered with trusted community organizations to administer over 23,897 shots –– about 91 percent of which have gone to people of color.
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EXPRESS LANE: An express lane at Dodger Stadium is serving customers of Access Services, the agency that provides transportation to Angelenos with disabilities. Access riders can book their appointment (pending availability) as well as a round-trip ride to Dodger Stadium by calling (626) 532-1616.
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BY THE NUMBERS: The City of Los Angeles has administered 610,922 vaccine doses at our City-run vaccination sites and mobile clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and fire stations. Since last Monday, our centers have provided 80,504 life-saving vaccinations.
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2-15-21
Please note: vaccine distribution information is updated regularly.
VACCINE UPDATES:
February 15, 2021 Updates
Second Dose Appointments
Due to the limited supply, City sites will prioritize second dose appointments this week. A small number of first doses will be available throughout the week at some City sites. This week’s second dose appointments were automatically scheduled for Angelenos who received their first dose from January 18 - 23 at Hansen Dam, San Fernando Park, Crenshaw Christian Center, Lincoln Park, and Dodger Stadium. Patients who qualify should have received a text message and/or an email with their second appointment details.
City vaccination sites are scheduled to be open this week from Tuesday through Saturday, with the exception of Hansen Dam, which will reopen on Wednesday.
Mobile vaccination clinics are scheduled to operate from Tuesday through Friday in Council districts 8, 9, and 14.
The City, County, and other providers have set up vaccination sites across the County for eligible groups.
City Vaccination Portal: Check Eligibility, Book, or Join the Notification List
The City, partnering with Carbon Health, has created a vaccination portal that allows Angelenos to:
- Book appointments at City vaccination sites.
- Sign up for the notification list to receive text and email alerts when you or a family member becomes eligible.
- Learn more about the vaccine.
To book an appointment you must be in an eligible group, in accordance with County eligibility requirements. Upon arrival at any of the City’s vaccination sites, you will be required to verify your eligibility to receive a vaccine. Currently only healthcare workers and persons age 65 and over are eligible for appointments at City Sites.
L.A. County Vaccinations Website & Call Center
Additional sites operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and other providers may be available at:
If you do not have internet access, call 1-833-540-0473 seven days a week, 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. for assistance making an appointment.
Vaccinate CA: Search for Clinics
Vaccinate CA is a site that makes it easy to find vaccination clinics from various providers in your area.
Vaccine Eligibility in L.A. County
The COVID-19 vaccine will be free for everyone and offered to various groups in phases. Vaccinations began in early January 2021 and limited groups are already being vaccinated. The vaccine is likely to be available to the general public in Spring/Summer 2021.
Current eligible groups:
- Healthcare workers and residents of skilled nursing facilities
- High and medium risk healthcare workers in eligible settings
- Persons age 65 and over
Please visit the County’s Department of Public Health Vaccine Distribution webpage to see which groups are currently eligible.
Second Dose Appointments At City Sites
All City of Los Angeles sites are currently administering the Moderna Vaccine.
If you receive your first vaccine dose at a City of Los Angeles Vaccine Site, Carbon Health will automatically schedule your second vaccine dose appointment. You will receive both a text message and/or email from Carbon Health with your second appointment details.
Please visit the Second Dose page for further details.
Sign Up to Receive VaxFacts
Sign up for Mayor Garcetti’s newsletter to receive VaxFacts, an update on our historic effort to get Angelenos vaccinated against COVID-19, and other updates. You can also view the VaxFacts archives.
2-11-21
This week, the City has been getting more shots into more arms, more quickly, and at more locations. We’re doing it safely and efficiently –– and we’ve already distributed 98 percent of the vaccine doses we’ve been given.
But we still don’t have enough vaccines. As a result, today the City will exhaust our current supply. Unfortunately, that means that we’ll have to temporarily close our five City vaccination sites. As soon as we receive more supply, we’ll re-open these sites –– most likely next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Here’s the bottom line: We are making progress, but we need more vaccines. We need to be able to plan for them. L.A. is ready –– not just to meet capacity, but to ramp up vaccinations as soon as we get more doses.
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Here are the facts you need to know:
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ELIGIBLE NOW: All L.A. residents 65 and older are eligible for the vaccine in L.A. County, in addition to healthcare workers, certain essential frontline workers, and residents and staff of skilled nursing facilities.
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UP NEXT: Yesterday, the L.A. County Department of Public Health announced that those who are in Phase 1B, Tier 1 –– including teachers and workers in education and childcare, food and agriculture, and emergency service and law enforcement –– will become eligible for vaccination in the next few weeks. Sign up to be automatically notified when you become eligible for the vaccine. You can also check what phase you'll be in.
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VACCINATION SITES: More than 350 locations are currently vaccinating people in L.A. County. As doses become available in the coming month, more sites and providers will administer shots. When your turn arrives, you can make an appointment through the County hub and bring your ID to the site. If you are 65 or older, have a disability, or do not have access to the internet and need assistance making your vaccination appointment, you can contact the County’s Call Center –– open from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. –– at (833) 540-0473. You can also talk with your doctor about getting vaccinated.
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MOBILE VACCINATION CLINICS: Black and Latino Angelenos are signing up for vaccinations at City sites at disproportionately lower rates. In response, last week we launched a pilot program to bring mobile vaccination clinics directly to Black and Latino communities in partnership with trusted community organizations. In the program’s first week, we administered over 1,700 shots –– two thirds of which went to Black Angelenos and 90 percent to Angelenos of color. We’ll continue to expand our mobile clinic capacity to reach additional parts of the city.
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BY THE NUMBERS: The City of Los Angeles has administered more than 293,252 vaccine doses at our five City-run vaccination sites. In the last week, our centers have provided 91,362 life-saving vaccinations –– a 27 percent increase over the previous week.
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SECOND DOSE: If you’ve gotten your first dose at a City or County site, your second dose appointment will be scheduled automatically.You’ll receive an email and text message 3 to 7 days before your second dose appointment, telling you where to go and when. The second appointment will be scheduled within the CDC’s recommended timeline. While it’s possible to change the time of your follow-up appointment, we strongly recommend keeping the slot you’ve been given.
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AVOIDING VACCINE FRAUD AND SCAMS: It’s important to be on the lookout for vaccination scams. Red flags include messages suggesting that vaccination is required by law, ads from unofficial sources on social media, and offers to jump the vaccine line by paying a fee.Remember: no one legitimate will ever try to sell you the vaccine –– online, over the phone, or in person.
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GET THE LATEST INFORMATION: Get key information by signing up for email updates from the L.A. County Department of Public Health. When your turn comes, make an appointment. Tell your friends and family to sign up for this VaxFacts newsletter or follow us at @MayorOfLA on Twitter. You can check out our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more.
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Vaccinations are our way out of this pandemic. They will help prevent future lockdowns and bring our communities back together –– and they will keep you and your family safe. I will never stop advocating to get the number of doses that our city deserves and needs. As we receive more vaccines, we will keep distributing them quickly, efficiently, and equitably.
So as soon as it becomes available, roll up your sleeve –– and get your shot.
Stay healthy and be safe.
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Eric Garcetti
Your Mayor
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P.S. As the COVID-19 crisis continues, so does the City’s sweeping response. To learn more about how we are protecting Angelenos –– through testing, economic relief, and other measures –– visit our website.
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1-26-21
The Mayor announced that the City will align with LA County's new directives. The main changes to the Safer at Home Order are as follows:
- The following is allowed starting today with adherence to all of the sector-specific directives to ensure distancing, wearing of face coverings, and infection control:
- Private gatherings outdoors up to 3 households and up to a total of 15 people
- Museums, zoos, aquariums outdoor operations at 50% occupancy
- Cardrooms outdoor operations at 50% occupancy
- Miniature golf, go-karts, batting cages outdoor operations at 50% occupancy
- Outdoor recreational activities are open
- Hotels & motels for tourism and individual travel allowed
- Fitness facilities open for outdoor operations
- Personal care services open indoors at 25% capacity
- Indoor mall, shopping center, lower-risk retail open at 25% indoor capacity; food courts and common areas closed
- The following restrictions remain in effect until January 29:
- Restaurants, wineries, and breweries remain open for pick-up, delivery, and take-out only.
- Outdoor dining expected to resume Friday
- Non-essential businesses closed from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
- Residents are advised to stay home as much as possible and always wear a face-covering over their nose and mouth when they are outside their household and around others.
- Administration of the second dose of Vaccine: Anyone who has received the first dose at a City site will be auto-booked for a second appointment. People will be notified via text and email and will have the option to reschedule.
- Expect those due for appointments next week to receive these texts/emails by Saturday.
- Working on further guidance for those who do not receive a text/email by the time of their 2nd appointment OR those who made appointments via the County call center.
- Even if delayed, City will guarantee the 2nd dose within the CDC recommended time frame.
FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Please visit
www.VaccinateLACounty.com, our
COVID-19 VACCINE webpage for the general public on Public Health’s website.
The webpage includes:
Key information from these webpages is provided below:
Who Will Get Vaccine When
The Vaccine Distribution page describes the phases and tiers of vaccination, with more information about how these phases may roll out. Green circles show groups of people who have been, or are being, offered vaccine. Red circles show groups who are waiting to be offered vaccine. This page is being updated regularly as the groups within each phase and tier are further refined.
How the phases and tiers were determined: Vaccine eligibility is determined by phases of prioritization developed by the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) through the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), as well as guidance developed by the
State via the
California Department of Public Health (CDPH). This planning is occurring in close coordination with state and local health departments to ensure appropriate planning and collaboration with community partners. Allocation policies will be dynamic and will be adapted based on vaccine performance, vaccine supply and demand, and other factors.
Where we are currently: We are currently administering vaccines in Phase 1A, Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. Phase 1A focuses on vaccinating frontline health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, in alignment with the recommendations of the ACIP based on risks of exposure and risks for severe illness. It is estimated that everyone in Phase 1A will have been offered at least one dose of vaccine by late January/early February. Please note that timings are estimates and may change according to factors such as vaccine supply and the state prioritization requirements. The phases and tiers will overlap.
What future phases will look like: Phase 1B vaccination efforts will focus on vaccinating persons aged ≥75 years and frontline essential workers and Phase 1C will focus on vaccinating persons aged 65–74 years, persons aged 16–64 years with high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workers. Please note that current Phase 1B and 1C distribution is based on CDC guidance and may be changed or updated by CDPH. The
Vaccine Distribution page will remain updated to reflect any developments.
How Vaccine Will Get to People in Later Phases
When the vaccine is available to other groups of people, it will likely be given at:
· Primary care clinics
· Pharmacies
· Some workplaces, and
· Special vaccination sites run by Public Health and county, city, and community partners
No one will have to pay for the vaccine. A doctor or pharmacy may charge a fee for giving the vaccine, but it should be covered by public and private insurance companies. People without health insurance can get COVID-19 vaccines at no cost. There are no out-of-pocket payments.
While, with the exception of health care workers, there is no way to register or sign up to receive the vaccine at this time, plans are currently being developed at CDC for how persons within these broad groupings will be prioritized and how the vaccines will be delivered. To support local planning processes, the County has established a COVID-19 Vaccine Work Group, comprised of approximately 100 individuals representing more than 60 organizations, with committees focused on ensuring equitable distribution of the vaccine, establishing effective communications, and aligning resources.
FOR INDIVIDUAL HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WANTING TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE, AND FACILITIES WANTING TO ADMINISTER VACCINE
We have a
COVID-19 Vaccine Healthcare Provider Information Hub.
The webpage includes:
- Information on each of the vaccines available
- Clinical considerations for vaccination
- Upcoming webinars
- Information on talking with patients
- Information on becoming a COVID-19 vaccination provider
- And more!
Key information from these webpages is provided below:
Becoming a Vaccination Provider
The
COVID-19 Vaccine Healthcare Provider Information Hub has a section titled “Becoming a COVID-19 Vaccination Provider” to which interested facilities should refer. This information may evolve over time.
For questions, an entity wanting to be a vaccine administrator can contact our Vaccine Administration Provider Line (information at the same link as above).
Please note this is only for entities with questions about being an administrator, not for the general public.
Vaccine Administration Provider Line
-Questions about vaccine distribution, storage and handling, and guidance on registering to receive the vaccine through the CDPH enrollment website.
· Monday through Friday, 8:00am- 5:00pm call 833-505-0761 or email
[email protected].
How Healthcare Workers Sign Up to Receive the Vaccine
Individuals who are in Phase 1A, (the phase we are currently vaccinating) may be informed by their employer if their employer is receiving vaccine distributions.
If not, a person who is a healthcare worker can learn more about the vaccine distribution process and sign up to receive the vaccine at our dedicated vaccine page:
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/vaccine/HCWSignup/. This page is
only for healthcare workers.
Identification is required at the appointment. Our
sign-up webpage states that, “
You must bring one of the 4 sets of documentation listed below to your appointment in order to be vaccinated.
1. HCW employee badge with photo
OR
2. Professional license
AND a photo ID
OR
3. Signed letter from employer on facility letterhead
AND a photo ID
OR
4. Payment stub from a healthcare provider with your name
AND a photo ID.”
To find out when vaccines are being offered to new tiers of healthcare workers, people can sign-up for email updates.