This story was updated to include additional information about Sutter and county vaccine options.
After recent confusion wrought by federal COVID vaccine guidelines, the most current vaccine will soon be widely available in Richmond and elsewhere.
Kaiser Permanente announced Wednesday that it is making “the new COVID-19 vaccine available to all our members 6 months and older at no cost,” beginning on Monday, when walk-in vaccination appointments will open.
A spokesperson for Sutter Health told Richmondside that Sutter healthcare facilities anticipate receiving the new COVID vaccine within the next week or so. Like Kaiser, Sutter vaccinates anyone age 6 months and older. Patients can get more information on Sutter’s website or by calling 844-987-6115.
Initially, according to statements made by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and guidelines released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the vaccine was only approved for people 65 or people who had an underlying health condition that would put them at risk for severe disease.
The FDA’s list of underlying qualifying conditions is extensive, and states that those under 18 can still get the vaccine with approval from a health provider. Still, these guidelines could pose barriers for adults that might qualify, and families might have trouble getting approval for their children.
Both Kaiser and Sutter are choosing to administer the vaccine more widely by not adhering to the FDA’s guidelines. A Sutter Health spokesperson told Richmondside that Sutter healthcare facilities anticipate receiving the new COVID vaccine by the middle of next week. Like Kaiser, Sutter vaccinates anyone 6 months and older, and the Sutter Health Plan covers the cost. The spokesperson said that most other health insurance plans that Sutter accepts, including Medicare and Medical, cover the vaccine as well, although Sutter recommends patients check with their health insurance company about possible co-pays. Patients can get more information on Sutter’s website or by calling 844-987-6115.
A new law which Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed requires all insurers regulated by the state of California to cover the cost of the vaccine.
In its statement Kaiser said that “vaccination remains one of the safest and most effective ways to help protect against severe illness,” and that its decision to more widely administer the vaccine “is based on the latest scientific evidence and clinical guidance from our physician experts and many other sources, including leading medical societies.”
The American Academy of Family Physicians has also disregarded the federal guidelines by recommending all adults 18 and older and all children age 6 to 23 months get the COVID vaccine, while also supporting vaccine access for children of all ages.
The COVID vaccine is available at west Contra Costa pharmacies
Where to get a COVID vaccine
Kaiser: Walk-in appointments available starting Mon., Sept. 15.
Sutter Health: Vaccine expected to be available within about a week. Visit Sutter online or call 844-987-6115.
Contra Costa Health: The county health department plans to offer COVID vaccine at this year’s immunization clinics but couldn’t predict when it will be available. Visit their website for updates.
Pharmacies: Vaccines are available at CVS, Walgreens and Safeway pharmacies, but they currently follow federal guidelines that limit who can get a shot (adults age 65 and older or those who self-report having certain health conditions).
Currently, the COVID vaccine is available at CVS, Walgreens and Safeway pharmacies across California. Appointments can be booked online or walk-ins are also accepted if space is available. Although these pharmacies follow federal and not state recommendations, meaning FDA limitations apply, any adult can get the vaccine by self reporting that they have an underlying health condition, including having one of many diseases, being obese, having depression, leading a physically inactive lifestyle, being currently or recently pregnant, or being a current or former smoker.
Self-reporting an underlying condition is easy, especially if you book online, as vaccine seekers simply have to click a box stating that they qualify. According to recent reporting from KQED, neither CVS, Walgreens nor Safeway pharmacies ask people to show any proof of underlying health conditions, though they may ask which health condition qualifies you.
These pharmacies accept health insurance plans, most of which traditionally have been required to cover COVID vaccines and other preventative shots, which can be expensive out-of-pocket. At CVS a COVID shot costs $198.99.
While the FDA has approved the new COVID vaccine, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has not yet issued any vaccine recommendations and is expected to discuss the matter on Thur., Sept. 18. The committee’s recommendations have traditionally been used by insurers to decide which vaccine costs they’ll cover.
Although no recommendation has been made yet, a CVS spokesperson did tell KQED that the vaccine is “covered by most insurance plans.” If you’re unsure whether your insurance covers vaccines, check with your insurer in advance.
Last year Contra Costa County Health offered uninsured people free COVID vaccines at its immunization clinics and events starting in the fall. Nicola Gillette, a county health spokesperson, told Richmondside the county plans to offer the COVID vaccine at immunization clinics this year as well, “particularly for those who do not have insurance,” but said it’s hard to predict when. They aim to make it available as soon as possible, she said.
Bay Area doctor sees disease uptick, urges vaccinations
Although Kennedy has repeatedly questioned the safety of vaccines and the COVID vaccine in particular, many scientific studies estimate it saved millions of lives with one study putting the number at about 15 million.
“I think it’s safe for anyone to get the vaccine if they want it,” infectious disease expert and UC San Francisco educator Dr. Peter Chin-Hong told Richmondside. “Vaccines are an amazing thing. We’re so lucky to have them in general.”
Chin-Hong said he highly recommends that those 65 and older, those who are immunocompromised, those who are pregnant, and kids between age 6 months and 2 years, as those groups are the most likely to be hospitalized due to COVID complications. He also recommends that healthcare workers get vaccinated, because they can easily pass the virus to others.
Chin-Hong said those who have recently gotten COVID can safely wait three months before getting a vaccine. If you do get COVID while vaccinated, Chin-Hong said, it greatly reduces symptoms and the risk of developing long COVID, a condition where COVID symptoms can persist for months or years after one contracts the virus.
Chin-Hong said that anecdotally he’s seeing an uptick in COVID cases. San Francisco wastewater data backs this up, as it shows there is a high amount of the COVID virus in water.
For those who haven’t gotten vaccinated in a year and are in a high-risk category, Chin-Hong recommends getting vaccinated soon, as vaccine potency greatly diminishes after a year. For those who have gotten vaccinated in the last year, Chin-Hong recommends getting vaccinated around late October, so their immunity can be highest around the winter holidays, when COVID tends to surge.
