COVID-19 and Vaccine FAQs

Last updated: March 2, 2021.

Q:  Have class schedules changed or have classes been canceled because of COVID 19?

A:  No.  Classes for Spring and Summer 2021 will remain predominately online with exceptions for essential workforce sector classes and some other limited engagement classes on the campuses.

February 19, 2021

The opening of the Oakland Coliseum federal vaccination site, limited appointments, union codes, and zip codes has caused much confusion in the District. 

In an effort to communicate the information in one place, we have developed the questions and answers below and will be updating the District’s COVID-19 web page with the most recent information as it becomes available. 

What tier are we in?

We are currently in Tier 1B, which includes educators. Employees are now eligible to make an appointment to obtain a vaccine.

How do I verify my district employment to be eligible for the vaccine as an educator?

When making your appointment, if you are given the option of selecting what “group” you are in, you should check Education.

What zip code and county of residence do I use when making an appointment?

We have been in contact with the Alameda County Public Health Department and they have directed us to inform all employees that they should use the college/district zip code when making their appointment. As employees of an Alameda County educational institution, employees are eligible for the vaccine in Alameda County.

Some people are receiving special codes. How come I haven’t received one?

SEIU Local 1021 sent a code to its members in the sectors included in Tier 1B for scheduling on the myturn.ca.gov website. These codes were not generated from the District. No codes have been provided to us as an employer at this time. (Thank you Rachel Ugale for the clarification.)

When can I get my vaccine?

Recent allocations of the vaccine to the State of California and to Alameda County have been delayed by severe weather across the country. Based upon an anticipated allocation to Alameda County and to health care providers within the county it is anticipated to take approximately 3 months to vaccinate all members of the Tier 1b group. Please have patience with the process and check multiple sources for your first available opportunity, if you are interested in receiving the vaccine.

My health care provider indicates I do not yet qualify for the vaccine?

Each entity that has been approved for providing the vaccine has established rules around those qualified to receive the vaccine, based upon allocation of the vaccine and the number of people in the highest risk categories enrolled with each provider will dictate when they can move to the nest group of vaccinations. Please be patient, we are at the beginning of the beginning of the vaccination process.

Where can I get a vaccine?

There are several locations to obtain a vaccine. We have listed their information below. At all locations, we encourage you to allow plenty of time. Reports are showing that some locations move quickly, while others move a bit slower. You will also be required to remain for 15 minutes following your vaccination to be monitored for reactions so plan accordingly.

I’m not able to access myturn.ca.gov online. What can I do?

If you are unable to access https://myturn.ca.gov, there is a toll-free number you can call to make an appointment.

Statewide COVID-19 Hotline: (933) 422-42545 (833-4CA-4ALL)

The statewide call center will be open seven days per week:

8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday – Friday, Pacific Daylight Time

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Pacific Daylight Time

Federal Vaccination Sites

Oakland Coliseum – a mass vaccination site - https://myturn.ca.gov/  for appointments at this location. 

Alameda County Fairgrounds is open, but only accessible for eligible patients with a pre-scheduled appointment through your healthcare provider.

Pharmacies

CVS Pharmacy - www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine 

Walgreens Pharmacy - https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp 

Rite Aid Pharmacy - www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier 

Healthcare Providers

Kaiser Permanente - www.kp.org/covidvaccine 
Sutter Health - www.sutterhealth.org/covid-vaccine 
Stanford Health Care - https://stanfordhealthcare.org/covid19updates 
El Camino Health - ElCaminoHealth.org 
John Muir Health - www.johnmuirhealth.com/patients-and-visitors/coronavirus 
UCSF - https://coronavirus.ucsf.edu/vaccines 
VA Northern California Health Care System -  https://www.northerncalifornia.va.gov/services/covid-19-vaccines.asp 

Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center COVID-19 Vaccination - http://www.tvhc.org/vaccine 

County Websites

Alameda County - https://covid-19.acgov.org/vaccines 
San Francisco County -  https://sf.gov/topics/coronavirus-covid-19  
Contra Costa - www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/vaccine 
San Joaquin - https://sjready.org/events/covid19/vaccines.html 

 

Q: Which vaccine will be given?  

A: Currently, Alameda County has two vaccines currently available: one from Moderna and one from Pfizer. Both have shown to be 94-95% effective and both require two doses, given about three weeks apart. Based on currently available data, the CDC and California Department of Public Health advises that both doses are required for complete protection.

March 5, 2020:

Q:  Is the College stepping up and cleaning class surfaces with anti-bacterial cleanser? If so, what is the frequency?

A:  The Custodial staff provides disinfection and sanitizing service cleaning of all areas on a regular basis. As of this week custodial staff are spending one hour of their shift sanitizing desktops, counters, door knobs and light switches (“high touch areas”). Please note that the majority of custodial staff work outside of normal school hours so if you do not see staff it does not mean that surfaces are not being cleaned regularly. Additionally, we do not recommend the use of bleach based cleaning agents, as these can react with other cleaning products regularly used by staff at all locations and recommend frequent hand washing with soap. If students, faculty and staff choose to use personal anti-bacterial wipes out of an abundance of caution, please note the caution above regarding bleach based products.

 

Q:  Has the district provided anti-bacterial hand soap and alcohol based hand sanitizing gels for use at the by members of the community?

A:  The district has deployed at over 100 alcohol based hand sanitizing stations at each college in public areas around the campus. The hand soap provided in restrooms throughout the District is anti-bacterial and staff are monitoring the current supplies throughout the day and providing refills as necessary. All products have been reordered to ensure that we maintain supplies as needed.

 

Q:  What is the difference between “isolation” and “quarantine”?

A:  Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick. Usually this means that sick people stay home and don’t leave until they are well. Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

 

Q:  How do you prevent the spread of respiratory viruses?

A:  There are a number of things that you can do to lower your risk to the Coronavirus:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, then use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough.
• Sneeze into a tissue then throw the tissue away in the trash. Wash your hands afterwards.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Get a flu shot. While it won’t protect you against COVID 19, it will help protect you against the flu, which kills up to 61,000 Americans each year.

 

Q:   Should you wear a mask (N95 respirator) to protect yourself from the Coronavirus?

A:   If you have been infected with the virus or if you are in close proximity to somebody else who has been infected (i.e. living in the same home), yes, a mask is advised. Otherwise, no, a mask will not protect you and in fact may increase your risk by giving a false sense of security.

 

Q:  If a person begins to feel sick, should they immediately go to the doctor or the hospital?

A:  No, call your medical provider first and follow their instructions.