Where and how to get COVID-19 vaccines in counties around Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With five different counties in two different states surrounding Lake Tahoe, there are different procedures concerning COVID-19 vaccines depending on which area one resides. As more doses of the vaccine become available, each county is in charge of its own vaccination rollout. Most in California will be vaccinated at community vaccination sites, doctor’s offices, clinics or pharmacies, depending on their county's plans.

On the Nevada side of the lake the state has developed "lanes" instead of the California side "tiers." All information is listed below.

El Dorado County

The County has a phase and tier list created following the guidelines of the California Department of Health. They are working with a multi-agency coordination group, the first allotments of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to El Dorado County has been allocated to frontline health care workers at both hospitals in the county (Marshall Medical in Placerville and Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe), Emergency Medical Services first responders, as well as long term care facility staff due to their congregate environments.

Many long term care facilities are participating in a federal program to receive vaccinations for their additional staff and residents that will follow shortly behind the county allocation and from a different supply and distribution chain.

El Dorado County has been allocated 6,825 doses of the Pfizer brand vaccine (1,950 to arrive week of Jan. 18th) and 7,200 doses of the Moderna brand vaccine (1,300 to arrive week of Jan. 18th).

As of Sunday, January 17, El Dorado County has finished Phase 1A and are currently in Tier 1 of Phase 1B and vaccinating any from the previous tiers that did not get one. The attached photo show tiers based on age and employment. This next tier includes teachers and education sector, childcare, emergency services, food and agriculture (including grocery store employees), and those aged 75 or older.

The county's vaccine website: https://edcgov.us/Government/hhsa/Pages/EDCCOVID-19-vaccine.aspx.

Clinics:

Vaccination clinics are offered BY APPOINTMENT ONLY at El Dorado County Public Health Department in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe and select Safeway Pharmacies for all categories in Phase 1A tiers 1-3, Phase 1B tier 1 and anyone aged 65 and older regardless of employment status. (Register for one only.) WALK-INS WILL BE TURNED AWAY. Appointments are available based on the amount of vaccines allocated by the State. If there is no vaccine available, no registration for an appointment will be possible.

Proof of residency in El Dorado County, employment status in El Dorado, and/or age will be required at time of appointment.

Please be aware that the Pfizer vaccine cannot be administered to persons under 16 years of age; Moderna vaccine cannot be administered to persons under 18 years of age.

To learn ow to sign up, links to required forms and other valuable information, please visit https://edcgov.us/Government/hhsa/Pages/EDCCOVID-19-clinics.aspx. This information can change as vaccines are received or appointments filled.

There has been significant interest across the County from the people who are eligible to receive a vaccine. Please note that clinics are only allowing appointments to be scheduled based on how many doses they have available, which changes frequently. Please keep checking back, as they receive new doses regularly. We are indicating when the Public Health appointment slots are full.

Douglas County and the Quad County Area

COVID-19 Vaccine allocation from the federal government to the state and then to Carson City Health and Human Services (for the Quad County) happens on a weekly basis. As they receive their weekly vaccine allocation, they will add vaccination events and appointments. If you are unable to schedule an appointment, continue checking the scheduling website (https://bit.ly/2XF64Cp) for newly added events or openings.

Most of their vaccine clinics as of January 17 are only for those who received their first dose in December.

They are in the vaccine phase for the following groups:

General Medical and Surgical Hospital Staff
Long Term Care Facility Staff and Residents
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospital Staff
Emergency Medical Services Personnel
Frontline Public Health Workforce and Volunteers
Laboratory Workers
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
Outpatient and Home Health Providers
Nevada Department of Corrections Staff
Law Enforcement and Public Safety Personnel
Deployed and mission critical personnel who play essential role in national security
State and Local Emergency Operations Managers and Staff
Education and Childcare Staff
Nevada System of Higher Education Faculty
Seniors ages 70 and up

If you are not currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine, PLEASE DO NOT schedule an appointment. You will be turned away.

Proof of employment or residency and age will be required at the time of appointment. If you are unable to provide proof, you will not receive the vaccine.

For information on who is eligible and to schedule vaccine appointments visit https://gethealthycarsoncity.org/novel.../covid-19-vaccine/

Washoe County

The COVID-19 vaccine is currently available to educators (Pre-K & K-12) and Childcare, per the Nevada's Playbook for Statewide Operations - Read the Playbook Brief here.

Lane 1 - Underway - Frontline/Essential Workforce
The Washoe County Health District and the Regional COVID-19 Response Team is currently tasked with providing the vaccine to Frontline/Essential Workforce. Reach out to your employer for more information if you fall into these groups. You cannot make an appointment by contacting the Health District.

Lane 2 - Underway - General population
This , which is still being finalized on when these vaccinations will occur and by who consists of the following priority:
Age 70 years and older (51,661)
Ages 65-69 years (27,639)
Ages 16-64 years with underlying conditions
Residents with disabilities

Residents experiencing homelessness (1,436 - 1/1/21)
Healthy adults ages 16-64 years (315,358)
2020 Adult Population Age 18 years and over = 383,313
2020 Total Population = 490,838

Renown Health announced select seniors can sign up for the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more here. Also, one can contact their doctor to see if other opportunities exist to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

For more information - https://www.covid19washoevaccine.com/pages/prioritization-lanes

Placer County

In Placer County, vaccine administration is underway for health care workers, first responders and people at long-term care facilities — members of the state’s Phase 1A tier for prioritization. Those in this tier can fill out a form online and then receive a private link for an appointment to receive the vaccine.

The county has worked through Phase 1A and are now in Phase 1B. There are also some limited vaccines available now in Phase 1B for residents who are over age 65, a population that comprises 80,000 people in the county.

For the North Shore, visit https://www.tfhd.com/covid for Tahoe Forest Health System information on vaccines.

For more vaccine information, visit https://www.placer.ca.gov/coronavirus/vaccine.

Since some in the Truckee area are in Nevada County, that information can be found here https://www.mynevadacounty.com/3148/Get-Vaccine-Information.