Vaccine open to those 16 and older
Butte County is moving ahead of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine timeline, as eligibility has been expanded to everyone 16 years of age and older who either reside or work in the county.
Butte County Public Health announced the update in a press release Monday afternoon, which will allow significantly more people to get vaccinated ahead of the state’s April 15 timeline when everyone 16 and older become eligible.
The change takes effect immediately for all hospital and community vaccination clinics in the county.
People 18 and older are eligible for the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine, though allocations of the latter, one-dose vaccine are limited in Butte County currently and may not be available.
Residents ages 16 and 17 are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine and must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver and have proof of age when attending an appointment. The Pfizer vaccine is currently only available for Oroville community vaccination clinic, located at Oroville Sports Club, or the Chico hospital vaccination clinic.
A complete list of community and hospital vaccination clinics
and links for booking an appointment can be found on Butte County Public Health’s website at www. buttecounty.net/COVIDvaccine. Residents who need assistance or do not have internet can call the Butte County COVID Call Center at 530-552-3050.
Butte County Public Health noted residents who book an appointment at a clinic that uses MyTurn, the state’s scheduling system, must check the “65-74” age
range option to schedule an appointment.
“This is due to a current limitation within the state’s online scheduling system. You will then be prompted to enter your date of birth at which time you will enter your actual date of birth (the 65-74 age option is only to get the process started, use your real date of birth after that point). Your date of birth will be used to verify eligibility when you arrive at the vaccination clinic,” Butte County Public Health said in the release.
Residents who opt to get vaccinated through a retail pharmacy, such as Walgreens
or Rite Aid, need to book appointments directly through that pharmacy. Pharmacies are part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, separate community and hospital vaccination clinics coordinated by Butte County Public Health and its hospital partners.
Butte County Public Health said eligibility and availability through the retail pharmacies may be different, even after the county expanded eligibility Monday.
This newspaper reported last week Butte County Public Health was considering
expanding eligibility to everyone 16 and older ahead of the state’s April 15 date. The county has seen a “slight decline” in demand for vaccinations in recent weeks, Public Health Director Danette York said during the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March, 23.
A number of small, rural counties, including Lassen, Sierra and Alpine counties, have already expanded vaccine eligibility to all adults who want to get vaccinated to protect against the virus.