COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available to Anyone 16 or older

As of this week, Northern California is opening up appointments for anyone age 16 or older to get the COVID-19 vaccine. In a nutshell: 

When: As of this week, there’s no waiting to get an appointment based on age, industry or health conditions. Anyone age 16 or over can schedule their vaccine.

Where: There are several ways to check what’s available in your area:

• Visit MyTurn.org, the state’s vaccine scheduling portal to get an appointment.
• Check with your medical group to see if they are scheduling times and if there are vaccination clinics in your neighborhood. Links on our COVID-19 web page.
• Check with your local pharmacy. Pharmacies such as CVS, Safeway, and Walgreens are getting available vaccines. Visit them online to see if they have supply and how best to get your shot.

Why: There are several reasons to get your COVID-19 vaccine:

1. Return to normal life. While all your friends and family may be getting back to a relatively normal life, you are still unprotected. So, yes, there is a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) when your friends and family gather, but most importantly, it’s for your mental health and physical well-being, as it will feel good to be going back to doing normal things.
2. You're safer to be vaccinated. It’s a huge relief not to have the threat of a deadly virus top-of-mind everywhere you go. The available vaccines are determined to be highly effective in preventing COVID-19. The vaccines also give good protection against new strains of the virus that are popping up nationwide.
3. Make a healthy decision that benefits your community. Your neighbors, fellow church-goers, schools, friends, and family are gathering together now. They will likely be less concerned about being together if we have some local herd immunity because most are fully vaccinated.
4. You’ve done your homework and know what’s right for you. Read about the vaccines, and the CDC website is a great place to start. Talk to your friends and family as they get the shot. Also, talk to your doctor about any concerns. There are millions of people now vaccinated worldwide. 

Still, got questions? Submit your vaccine questions to memberservices@westernhealth.com.

TUNE IN FOR A FACEBOOK LIVE: WHA’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Khuram Arif will answer your vaccine questions in an upcoming Facebook Live event. Mark your calendar and join us life on Thursday, April 22 at 11 a.m.