Contra Costa County seems to be the place to go in the Bay Area if you're looking for a vaccine, with plenty of appointments available at county health department sites in San Pablo, Richmond, Concord and Antioch.
It seems it's just a matter of getting the word out.
When the Antioch Community Center opened a vaccination clinic, for instance, it administeed 150 doses, and apparently there's more to go around. The site, which is run by federal, state and local agencies, can accommodate 500 shots a day, some on a walk-in basis.
The problem, according to one Antioch City Council member is a lot of people don't know about it.
"I have people from Sacramento today that came in, Walnut Creek, Pleasanton," Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock said. "People are trying to get in on those overloaded systems when they can come here and get those shots right away."
The Richmond Veterans Hall site has enough vaccine to administer 500 doses each day. But it only gave 224 Thursday.
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“There’s myths in the Latin community about the side effects and it’ll make your hair fall out and you'll get gravely ill, just really nonsense,” said Rob Obregon. “I do what I can to talk to folks to say the alternative is a lot worse.”
Interpreter Obregon says he and others are trying hard to do outreach. Obregon put out balloons and cranked up music outside to try to attract people.
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Alberto Jimenez got his first dose today and is urging others to do the same
“You shouldn’t be scared because it’s for your health and so you won’t get infected,” he said.
The clinics will be open through April 25 and they’ll reopen in three weeks for second doses.
While they are designed for those who work and live in Contra Costa County, as long as you have an ID, the county says nobody will be turned away.
San Mateo County hasn't been as lucky. County Supervisor David Canepa said opening up eligibility has created more problems, which have been compounded by the pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Canepa has been pleading with the state to send more doses to the Peninsula.
