County of Santa Clara COVID-19 Vaccine Information for the Public

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The State of California has now authorized all healthcare systems statewide to vaccinate any persons age 65 and older, in addition to continuing vaccinations for healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities. The County does not determine vaccine eligibility. Following the State’s priority phases and tiers, each provider decides what categories of patients they have the capacity to vaccinate at any given time.

Current Vaccination in Santa Clara County:
Phase 1A
- Healthcare personnel and Long-Term Care Facility Residents (All Health Systems)
Phase 1B (Tier 1 - partial)
- County residents 75 and older (County Health System, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and Stanford Healthcare)
- County residents 65 and older (Kaiser Permanente)
Vaccine availability and eligibility is changing rapidly, and all vaccinations are by appointment only at this time. The County will update this website regularly as new information becomes available.

Who can currently be vaccinated?
Who will be eligible to receive the vaccine next?
Other Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard
How are COVID-19 vaccines allocated to providers in Santa Clara County?
Information for Healthcare Providers

Who is Currently Eligible to be Vaccinated?

All healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents in Phase 1A are currently eligible to be vaccinated. The State of California has now authorized all healthcare systems statewide to vaccinate any persons age 65 and older, in addition to continuing vaccinations for healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities. The County does not determine vaccine eligibility. Following the State’s priority phases and tiers, each provider decides which categories of patients they have the capacity to vaccinate at any given time. These decisions are generally based on their current supply of vaccine, and the number of patients they have the capacity to vaccinate each day.

Individuals who are eligible to be vaccinated, should contact their healthcare provider for more information or to make an appointment:

Healthcare System	Current Eligibility (Please confirm with your healthcare provider) *Healthcare systems are frequently updating eligibility criteria based on capacity and available vaccine.	How to Schedule an Appointment
Kaiser Permanente	Kaiser members who are: Eligible healthcare personnel in Phase 1A Age 65 and older	Call Kaiser at 866-454-8855 to schedule an appointment.
Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF)	Individuals who receive primary care through PAMF and are: Eligible healthcare personnel in Phase 1A Age 75 and older	Contact PAMF to schedule a vaccination appointment
Stanford Healthcare	Individuals who receive primary care from Stanford Healthcare and are: Eligible healthcare personnel in Phase 1A Age 75 and older	Contact Stanford to schedule an appointment
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Hospitals and Clinics (SCVMC)	Individuals whose primary care provider is not with Kaiser, PAMF, or Stanford and are: Eligible healthcare personnel in Phase 1A Persons age 75 and older	Click here to schedule an appointment
El Camino Health	Individuals whose primary care provider is not with Kaiser, PAMF, Stanford, or SCVMC and are: Eligible healthcare personnel in Phase 1A Age 75 and older	Click here to schedule an appointment
Good Samaritan Hospital	Individuals whose primary care provider is not with Kaiser, PAMF, Stanford, or SCVMC and are: Eligible healthcare personnel in Phase 1A	Click here to schedule an appointment
Regional Medical Center	Individuals whose primary care provider is not with Kaiser, PAMF, Stanford, or SCVMC and are: Eligible healthcare personnel in Phase 1A	Click here to schedule an appointment

Who Will be Eligible to Receive the Vaccine Next?

The State of California has established phases and tiers for when different populations are eligible to receive vaccine. Information on who will be eligible next is available on the State of California’s vaccination website. Check this website regularly for updates on the expansion of vaccine eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

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Where will most people get vaccinated when they become eligible?

Like other vaccines, most people will receive COVID-19 vaccination through their primary care provider. All large health systems including Kaiser, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, the County’s hospitals and clinics, Stanford Healthcare, and many smaller community clinics will be allocated vaccine to vaccinate their patients as they become eligible. We also expect that other entities like the large pharmacy chains (Walgreens, CVS, Costco, Walmart, etc.) may eventually offer COVID-19 vaccination to eligible members of the public.

If vaccines are coming, do I still have to wear a mask, keep a distance, and avoid gatherings?

Yes. We all need to do our part to stay safe while we wait for vaccines to be widely available, and for a sufficient portion of the population to be vaccinated. Our county, like everyone else, has received a limited supply to start. More will come over time. It may take many months before everyone in the Bay Area who wants a vaccine has gotten one. This means we all need to work together to keep our risk of COVID-19 low. We can do that by protecting ourselves and others by wearing face masks, keeping our distance, and not gathering in groups.

My family member lives in a nursing home or other long-term care facility. When will he or she be vaccinated?

The federal government has created a program under which CVS and Walgreens are responsible for vaccinating residents and staff in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities across the United States. Most of these facilities in Santa Clara County are participating in this federal program, which began vaccinations in our county on December 28, 2020. The few facilities in Santa Clara County that chose not to enroll in this program will have residents and staff vaccinated through the County and its partners.

What will it cost to get a COVID-19 vaccine?

COVID-19 vaccines are available at no cost, but they are only available to eligible individuals.

Can I add my name to a waiting list if I am not currently eligible for vaccination?

No, but talk to your healthcare provider to find out how they plan to notify you when you do become eligible.

Who determines how many doses of vaccine are available in Santa Clara County?

The State of California sets the number of doses of vaccine that go to each county. The County Public Health Department will help to apportion these doses in the County, according to directions from the state and federal government. Some other organizations with facilities in Santa Clara County get additional supplies of vaccine from the state or federal government. These organizations include federal government agencies and large health care systems that operate in more than one county (including Kaiser and Sutter/Palo Alto Medical Foundation). Large retail pharmacies receive additional supplies to vaccinate people who live in certain types of nursing homes, through a program organized by the federal government.

How are COVID-19 vaccines allocated to providers in Santa Clara County?

This chart shows how vaccines are allocated to local vaccine providers in Santa Clara County.

Chart showing how COVID-19 vaccine allocation flows from federal government COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation in Santa Clara County

Federal government allocates vaccines to:
1. State of California
2. Private pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens) for long-term care facilities
3. Directly to the VA Palo Alto and Indian Health Center

The State of California then allocates vaccines to:
1. Multi-County Entities (like Kaiser and Palo Alto Medical Foundation/Sutter)
2. The County Public Health Department

Multi-County Entities allocate vaccine to their local clinics in Santa Clara County

The County Public Health Department allocates vaccine to the County Health System and other local health providers, like Stanford

A box shows all of the local vaccine providers:
1. Local PAMF and Kaiser Clinics
2. County Health System
3. Other providers (e.g. Stanford)
4. CVS/Walgreens local delivery for Santa Clara County Skilled Nursing Facilities/Long-Term Care Facilities
5. Indian Health Center and VA Palo Alto

Learn more about the vaccines

Fact Sheets issued by the U.S. federal government are available.

COVID-19 Pfizer BioNTech Vaccine Fact Sheet. Fact Sheet is available in additional languages.
COVID-19 Moderna Vaccine Fact Sheet. Fact Sheet is available in additional languages.

More information about Fact Sheets.

Recent County of Santa Clara COVID-19 vaccine planning updates

January 15, 2021 – Read press release and watch press conference with updates on the expansion of vaccine distribution in Santa Clara County.
January 13, 2021 – Read press release announcing expansion of COVID-19 eligibility to residents 75 and older.
January 12, 2021 – County officials provided an update on vaccine planning to the County Board of Supervisors.
January 12, 2021 – Read press statement where County warns about misinformation being shared about availability of COVID-19 Vaccine.
January 8, 2020 – Read press release and watch press conference where County officials announce expanded vaccination capacity and urge all healthcare personnel to get their vaccine.
December 31, 2020 – Read press release and watch press conference on COVID-19 vaccine updates.
See vaccine news archive and older vaccine planning updates from County of Santa Clara

Partnerships are a key to the effort

The County is working with partners from healthcare and community organizations, as well as public officials and other groups. Planning for vaccine doses and how to provide them to communities will take a united effort . Part of our commitment is to share information with our partners and provide people with the information they need to make decisions about the vaccine.

See COVID-19 vaccine planning for health care providers.

The County of Santa Clara’s role in COVID-19 vaccination

The County Public Health Department is responsible for logistics, planning, procedures, and allocations so that COVID-19 vaccines can be effectively distributed to healthcare providers, who will in turn vaccinate their patients.

The County is not responsible for developing or testing any of the vaccines. That falls to federal and state authorities. However, once vaccines have been fully evaluated and approved by the federal government, the County will make sure they are distributed according to the guidelines provided.