Have questions about getting your COVID-19 vaccine in South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Teachers, emergency and health care workers and the elderly are among the first residents in El Dorado County to receive their COVID-19 vaccine, but thousands are still waiting their turn. To date, over one-tenth of adults, or 20,000, El Dorado County residents have been vaccinated.

The County is currently in Tier 1 of Phase 1B in their vaccine administration plan. This group includes those who work in the food and agriculture fields (including grocery stores and restaurants) and continuing with those aged 65 or older. See an explanation of tiers and phases HERE.

According to work population statistics, there are 150,641 adults living in El Dorado County, 38,570 of them over the age

Vaccine Distribution FAQ from El Dorado County

If I am over 65 with no underlying health conditions what do I need to do to get vaccinated?

Until we receive additional vaccine from the State, we cannot schedule more appointments. We are currently booked through mid-February at both County Public Health offices and Safeway pharmacies. After that point, we plan to hold some 65+ only and 75+ only drive-thru clinics as we receive shipments from the State. Please check this website for information as it becomes available: https://www.edcgov.us/Government/hhsa/Pages/EDCCOVID-19-clinics.aspx
You may also wish to call the Safeway pharmacies directly. Their phone numbers are listed on this web page here: https://www.edcgov.us/Government/hhsa/Pages/EDCCOVID-19-
clinics.aspx

When am I eligible to get a vaccine?

The chart that is listed on our Vaccine Clinic and Vaccine Information web pages provides eligibility information.

I’m eligible, why can’t I make an appointment?

Being eligible does not equate to being able to make an appointment to get a shot; appointments become available only if we have received sufficient vaccine from the State.

There's no vaccine available so when should I get my second dose?

While you shouldn't get your second shot before 21 days after your first Pfizer dose or 28 days after your Moderna dose, the CDC now says you can wait up to 6 weeks between doses.

I’m a senior without internet and need help signing up for an appointment

If you have no internet access or don’t have access to a computer, please ask a trusted family member or friend for assistance first. If you still require assistance, the County is providing the following option for help to those 75 and older:

Dial (530) 295-4101 where you can leave a message with your contact information and staff will call you to walk you through the process. You will need your medical ID card information on hand.

Also, the South Lake Tahoe Library can assist. Contact Katharine Miller.

I’m a senior with internet/a computer and need help signing up for an appointment

Each of the County’s six libraries has staff available to assist you with registering for an appointment to receive a vaccine. If no vaccine appointments are available, staff will still walk you through the process and instruct you on how to check for upcoming appointments. Office days and hours vary by location, so please consult this web page for Library location and hours of operation.

In South Lake Tahoe, the library is open Monday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Special senior hours are 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday.

I signed up for a notification to get a vaccine; when will I get my shot?

The County briefly provided a service to be alerted to “surplus” vaccine. We suspended that service after more than 22,000 signed up. The State has only provided 19,875 vaccines in total to date, all of which are earmarked for appointments already done and those scheduled through mid-February. We are working our way through the list as appointments become available, depending on vaccines received from the State, and we are planning 65+ and 75+ drive-thru clinics in mid-February. Please check this website as that time approaches.

The State announced an upcoming service to register for both notifications of when you become eligible to receive a vaccine and when an appointment is available near you. It is in the pilot stage and we are awaiting details about when it will become available statewide.

The County has established a web page where you can sign up for an eligibility alert when your Phase/tier comes up, but it’s not the same as being able to make an appointment; that’s dependent on the State providing us with vaccine