Health and Wellness

COVID-19

Vaccine Information

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

How to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

If you live or work in Orange County you can register on the Othena website at www.othena.com to be notified when you are eligible to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine. When you are eligible, you will receive a notification to sign up for an appointment on the Othena app. Please be patient as the website is experiencing high volume.

The success of the county’s implementation of the phased, tiered vaccination plan depends on everyone being patient and letting priority groups be vaccinated first.

Appointments will be provided only to these priority groups:

  • Phase 1A populations (all tiers)
  • Law enforcement working in high-risk settings
  • Adults age 65 or older

The Othena app is a vaccine scheduling system created by CuraPatient, along with leading health care experts and public health agencies.
 

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, visit the Orange County Health Care Agency Vaccine Resources web page.  

The COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S. vaccination program are rapidly evolving. Check this page often for updates.

A safe and effective vaccine can end the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts believe that at least 70% of people need to get the COVID-19 vaccine to help end the pandemic. The vaccine will also protect against the long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 infection that some people experience.

There are 4 phases for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. We are in Phase 1a, with vaccines prioritized for first responders and high-risk health care workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are the COVID-19 vaccine recommendations made?

Vaccine recommendations are primarily made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), with local health departments.

For CDC details, click here.  

For CDPH details, click here.  

How will the vaccine be given out in California?

The CDPH is working closely with community partners and stakeholders to help guide the planning process and to make sure the vaccine is distributed and administered equitably.

Planning involved California’s local public health departments, multiple state agencies, community-based organizations, and public and private immunizers.

California is committed to a fair and equitable allocation and distribution process. No one should bypass the established vaccine allocation and distribution process.

For CDPH details, click here.  

For local details from the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA), click here.  

Who gets vaccinated first?

Because the supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is expected to be limited at first, the CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine be allocated to:

  1. Health care personnel
  2. Residents of long-term care facilities

As more vaccines are made, more groups of people will get it in phases.

For CDC details, click here.  

For the phases on the HCA website, click here.  

How much will the COVID-19 vaccine cost?

Vaccines purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost.

Read more at the California Department of Managed Health Care.  

What are the facts about COVID-19 vaccines?

Correct vaccine information is vital, the CDC provides current facts here.  

  1. Fact: COVID-19 vaccines will not give you COVID-19.
  2. Fact: COVID-19 vaccines will not cause you to test positive on COVID-19 viral tests.
  3. Fact: People who have been sick with COVID-19 will still benefit from getting vaccinated.
  4. Fact: Getting vaccinated can help prevent you getting sick with COVID-19.
  5. Fact: Getting an mRNA vaccine will not alter your DNA.

What are the 8 things to know about the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program?

  1. The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority.
  2. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. Two doses are needed.
  3. Right now, the CDC recommends the COVID-19 vaccine be offered to health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities.
  4. At this time there is a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S., but the supply will increase in the weeks and months to come.
  5. After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection.
  6. Cost is not a problem to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
  7. Two COVID-19 vaccines have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many other vaccines are still being created and tested.
  8. COVID-19 vaccines are one of the many key tools to help us stop this pandemic.

Click here, to learn more at the CDC website.

What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

For the CDC details about the these benefits, click here.  

  • The COVID-19 vaccine will greatly reduce your risk of getting COVID-19.
  • The COVID-19 vaccine will be a safer way to help build protection.
  • The COVID-19 vaccine will be an important tool to help stop the pandemic.

How is your privacy protected if you take the COVID-19 vaccine?

California law strictly limits how personal information about those who are vaccinated can be shared. California worked with the federal government to limit the required data sharing to only information that will not allow a person to be identified.

For CDPH details, click here.  

For Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the COVID-19 vaccine, click the links below:

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs 

Orange County Health Care Agency for Local COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for National COVID-19 Vaccine Information

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