GENERAL COVID-19 VACCINE
- The County of Orange, together with the Orange County fire services, has launched an effort named ‘Operation Independence’ to complete all county vaccinations by July 4, 2021.
- Vaccines are being given to the public in a phased, tiered approach.
SUPER POINT-OF-DISPENSING (POD)
- First regional COVID-19 vaccine Super POD site at Disneyland Resort on January 12, 2021 and second regional Super POD site at Soka University in Aliso Viejo on Saturday, January 23.
- This second vaccination site at Soka University is serving individuals who registered and were notified of an appointment through the Othena system.
- The Disneyland and Soka University Super POD sites are vaccinating thousands of people every day.
- The County is planning additional Super PODs throughout the County as the supply of COVID-19 vaccines available in the County increases.
- The Super PODs will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week
- The regional Super PODs will increase efficiency and provide multiple vaccine distribution points throughout Orange County.
VACCINE RECIPIENTS/APPOINTMENTS
- Vaccinations are by appointment only. Anyone showing up without an appointment will be turned away. If you don’t have an appointment, don’t go.
- Othena is now scheduling vaccination appointments at both the Soka University and Disneyland Super PODs.
- All residents interested in being vaccinated are encouraged to register at www.Othena.com to be notified when there are appointments available.
- There are more than 484,000 people registered in Othena system. Eligible individuals who registered for a vaccine may not be able to immediately receive an appointment since there are many more people than available doses of vaccine.
- Our vaccine scheduling has been simplified:
Step 1: Simply register on Othena.com to be placed in a “digital waiting room”.
Step 2: Appointment notifications to those in the “digital waiting room” will be prioritized based on factors including age, time of registration and available vaccine supply.
Step 3: Eligible individuals will be notified to schedule an appointment by email or notification through the Othena app; those individuals are advised to regularly monitor their email and the Othena app for updates.
- Appointments are scheduled for no more than three days out as the County depends on the State for its supply of vaccine doses.
- Users may not have the option of choosing which site to attend, depending on the availability of the vaccine when the appointment is scheduled.
- Individuals must have a photo ID with proof of Orange County residency or Orange County employment, as well as documentation of Phase 1A eligibility, such as one of the following:
- Professional license
- Employee badge with name
- Signed letter from employer on facility letterhead
- Payment stub with printed name
- Most eligible individuals will be contacted through their employer.
- Others who are eligible will be notified and should continue to watch for announcements through the Health Care Agency (HCA) website, social media and news media.
- The vaccination experience typically takes 45-60 minutes per person. It is not necessary to arrive more than 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment .
- Individuals receiving vaccines will:
- Receive a card listing the vaccine type of the first dose received (e.g. Moderna or Pfizer) and the lot number.
- Need to bring their vaccine cards to the site when receiving the 2nd dose.
- Upon arriving for your appointment, please:
- Do not arrive more than 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment
- Do not park on residential streets (e.g. Oak View Drive at Soka University site in Aliso Viejo)
- Do not park in nearby school parking lots
- Follow signage and traffic patterns
2nd DOSE APPOINTMENTS
· Anyone who received their 1st vaccine dose through the Othena system (starting January 6) will automatically receive their 2nd dose appointment confirmation through Othena.
- Those eligible individuals are advised to regularly monitor their email or Othena app profile for appointment updates.
- Individuals who received their 1st dose at a fire service location (OCFA headquarters in Irvine, Central Net training center in Huntington Beach or North Net training center in Anaheim) will receive their 2nd dose at the Disneyland Resort Super POD.
- Everyone who received their 1st dose through their health system, employer, or other group will receive the 2nd dose from the same source.
AGE 65 AND OVER / COUNTY SENIOR MOBILE CLINICS
- County residents and workers 65 years of age have the option of getting vaccinated at a Super POD site as well as at alternate mobile clinic sites specifically targeting this population.
- The County is hosting pop-up mobile clinics to vaccinate vulnerable seniors in critically underserved communities.
- This outreach effort isn’t intended for the general public, who typically have resources that many communities of color and lower-income do not have available to them.
- We are working in collaboration with community partners to support these grassroots efforts to reach seniors close to home and offer more vaccination options for this vulnerable population.
- Vaccinations at mobile clinics are only available for those in the targeted community and who have scheduled appointments.
- City emergency management, police and fire personnel will be notified when a mobile clinic is scheduled within those respective cities.
- If you arrive more than 30 minutes before your scheduled vaccine appointment, you may expect extended wait times before being vaccinated due to the high volume of people being vaccinated.
- Individuals with appointments are encouraged to arrive no more than 30 minutes before your appointment time.
OTHENA FUNCTIONALITY
- Thousands of Orange County residents have successfully scheduled appointments through Othena.com for the Disneyland and Soka University Super Point-of-Distribution (POD) sites.
- There is an extremely high demand to receive the COVID vaccine, yet the success of the County’s phased, tiered vaccination plan depends on everyone being patient and allowing priority groups to be vaccinated first.
- Othena specialists are responding to callers on the HCA Hotline to assist with questions related to the Othena system.
- People can call the hotline at 714-834-2000, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or email Othena at support@compositeapps.net.
- If you do need to speak with someone directly, hotline operators are still available.
- Please note that the hotline cannot schedule appointments or register users in the Othena system.
- The County is actively working to provide translations in County threshold languages.
VACCINE
- The County is currently dispensing:
- The Moderna vaccine at the Disneyland Super POD site.
- The Pfizer vaccine at the Soka University Super POD site.
- The required 2nd dose for individuals must be the same vaccine (e.g. both 1st and 2nd dose should be Moderna vaccine).
- Individuals receiving their 1st vaccination will receive a card at that time with details about the vaccine type and general timing for their 2nd dose (not a specific appointment date or time).
- The County is continuing to receive vaccines and appropriately allocate doses among traditional healthcare providers (hospitals, pharmacies, etc.) and POD sites.
- While the County of Orange is actively administering approximately 20% of the vaccines available for Orange County residents and workers through Othena, traditional healthcare providers, including hospitals, pharmacies, and community health centers, have received the other 80% of vaccine doses.
- The County is requesting additional vaccines from the State to exponentially expand access.
- Additional appointment slots in Othena will open as more doses become available.
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING ADVERSE REACTIONS
Othena users:
- If individuals experience an adverse reaction following a vaccination at a County Super POD site, they can report it on their smartphones by providing those details through their profile on the Othena app and also contact their healthcare provider.
- The Othena app can track and monitor side effect information and report such occurrences to the State.
Non-Othena users:
- Individuals who did not receive a vaccine through the Othena system and are experiencing an adverse reaction should:
- Contact their doctor, and;
- Report it online to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by visiting www.CDC.gov and search “V Safe“
Medical Trained Volunteers
Medical licensed volunteers able to assist with vaccine preparation and distribution.
Currently licensed: Physicians (MD, DO and MD/ DO students), Nurses (RN, LVN, Mid-Wives Nursing Students), Physician/Nursing Assistants, Dentists, Medical Assistants, Pharmacists / Pharmacists Students, Paramedics and EMTs.
General Support Volunteers
Volunteers able to assist in logistical support roles such as computer data entry, registration, traffic and other duties as assigned.
Volunteers, we need your help. In anticipation of future needs, please register at: https://oneoc.org/