Appointments available April 6 - 10
Berkeley, California (Friday, April 02, 2021) - First dose COVID-19 vaccination appointments are available April 6-10 if you are a Berkeley or Alameda County resident who is at least 50 years old, has a state-defined underlying health condition, or live or work in Alameda County and are at increased risk of exposure in one of the following sectors:
- janitors, including housecleaners, in any industry
- public transit workers, including airport and commercial airlines
- emergency services
- food and agriculture, including restaurants, grocery, convenience stores
Those who fit into one of these groups can now register for an appointment at Berkeley Public Health's mass vaccination site at 1 Buchanan Street:
After scheduling, you will receive a confirmation email with the date and time of your appointment. We will verify appointments with identification at the site. You will not be asked about immigration status.
Curative staff will assist you with scheduling your second dose appointment after you receive your shot, while you are waiting in the post-vaccination holding area.
For technical support or assistance scheduling your appointment, call Curative, Inc. at 888-702-9042.
COVID-19 vaccines are free to everyone. You do not need insurance to get a vaccine. However, those who have medical insurance will need to provide their insurance information.
Vaccinations are only for those with appointments.
Since Berkeley Public Health and Alameda County receive only a portion of the local supply from the state, everyone interested in seeking a vaccine should also reach out to their health care provider, pharmacies and the state's MyTurn website. See below for more details.
People with certain underlying health conditions eligible
Those who have certain underlying health conditions that put them at highest risk for serious COVID-19 illness qualify for vaccination at state-run sites as well as the City of Berkeley site.
Those 16- or 17 years-olds who are in eligible categories can only receive the Pfizer vaccine, which is scheduled for April 6-9.
People with these conditions are strongly encouraged to seek vaccination with a primary health care provider or system, or in an alternate clinical setting. Check first with your usual health care provider.
- Cancer, current with weakened immune system
- Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or above
- Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent
- Down syndrome
- Solid organ transplant, leading to a weakened immune system
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension)
- Severe obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 40 kg/m2)
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
Employment verification required
For employment-based eligibility, we are following California Department of Public Health vaccine allocation guidelines. For questions about eligibility requirements, call the California COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-422-4255.
Those receiving the vaccine based on their employment will need to provide documentation to confirm eligibility at the site. They can use:
- a recent pay stub
- a letter from their employer (download a sample letter)
- an employee ID badge
If using an employee ID badge without a picture, you will need a picture ID to verify identity.
Instructions: uploading photo of medical ID card
If you have health insurance, you'll be asked to upload a photo of your medical ID card when scheduling your appointment.
Follow these steps to add your card:
- Take a photo of your card.
- Send the photo to your email.
- Open email and save the photo to a file on your computer.
- Upload the photo from the saved file using file manager.
If you are unable to do this on the insurance page, click on the box that says "I do not have my insurance card" and click continue to move to the next screen. You may have to enter some additional medical information. Bring your medical card with you to the appointment.
If you do not have health insurance, disregard these instructions. You do not need insurance to be vaccinated and will not be charged to receive a vaccine.
Transport option for Berkeley seniors, disabled
For Berkeley residents who need assistance getting to the site, a ride service supported by the City can help some people get to their appointments for a $15 fee.
After you've scheduled your vaccination appointment, call Easy Does It at (510) 704-2111 to check your eligibility, register for services, and schedule a ride.
Easy Does It will ask health screening questions to ensure the safety of the rider and the driver. Personal protective equipment is worn by drivers, and face coverings are required of riders.
Vaccinations also available at the Oakland Coliseum and CVS, Rite-Aid, and Walgreens pharmacies
Check availability and schedule appointments for the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum at myturn.ca.gov or by calling 1-833-422-4255.
CVS, Rite-Aid, and Walgreens pharmacies are also now scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for all people under current state eligibility guidelines. Use the links below to schedule an appointment.
- CVS COVID-19 vaccine appointments
- Rite-Aid COVID-19 vaccine appointments
- Walgreens COVID-19 vaccine appointments
Keep in mind that supplies are limited and wait times may be long.
With vaccine supply limited, sign up for notification lists
The limited national supply of COVID-19 vaccines means that it will take many months for vaccines to reach the general population.
No matter what your age, you can prepare by understanding what your health care provider's process is and signing up for general notification lists. Supply is limited everywhere, so sign up for as many lists as you can to maximize opportunities to receive a vaccine.
- Berkeley Public Health notification list
- Alameda County resident vaccine notification list
- State of California ("My Turn") vaccine notification list
No matter what list you are on, keep tabs on your email and take immediate action when you receive a notification that you are eligible to make an appointment.
