In its efforts to get more vaccines to its residents, Tulare County is immediately expanding its COVID vaccine eligibility requirements to anyone age 16 and over, regardless of health conditions, at its mass vaccination site, the Tulare International Agri-Center.
To make an appointment at the Agri-Center, visit the Curative link on the Tulare County COVID Vaccine webpage at: https://curative.com/sites/26207. The Tulare COVID Call Center is also available to assist those without internet access and non-English–speaking residents in obtaining a vaccination by calling (559) 685-2260.
As Tulare County continues to focus on an equitable distribution of vaccine across all our rural communities, some County-operated events may prioritize eligibility based on age and risk factors. Other vaccine providers may opt to expand eligibility for those 16 and older; walk-ins may or may not be accepted. Please ensure you call or visit the County’s COVID Vaccine website for more vaccination locations at https://covid19.tularecounty.ca.gov/covid-19-vaccine/, which includes a full listing of health care providers and local pharmacies offering COVID vaccinations:
- Your Health Care Provider or Doctor: We strongly recommend individuals with underlying health conditions or disabilities seek vaccination with a primary health care provider or health clinic. Check first with your usual health care providers to see if they have vaccines and available appointments. Health care providers who have vaccines may also begin reaching out to you, as a patient with a significant, high-risk medical condition or disability known to the provider, to schedule your vaccine appointment.
- Pharmacies:You can check your local pharmacies to see if they have vaccines and available appointments.
- Community Pop-Up Clinics:Community pop-up clinics continue to target those living in communities with the lowest Healthy Place Index scores. Community partners will reach out to people eligible for the pop-up clinics.
- MyTurn: Effective April 15, those 16 and older can schedule an appointment through California’s MyTurn. Currently, individuals who are 50 and older regardless of health conditions can register for an appointment, in two ways:
- On-line at www.myturn.ca.gov. The MyTurn website is accessible to people with disabilities and in eight languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Japanese.
- Call the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255 or 1-833-4CA-4ALL. The Hotline is accessible to people with disabilities and offers services in English and Spanish, with connections to interpretive services in more than 250 languages.
“We urge all our newly eligible residents and workforce to not delay and get vaccinated as soon as possible,” shared Dr. Karen Haught, Tulare County Public Health Officer. “This vaccine is our best line of defense against the COVID-19 virus, as we look to build immunity in our community, allowing us to safely lift restrictions on businesses and ultimately bring this horrible pandemic to an end.”
It remains extremely important that all residents, vaccinated or not, continue to maintain safety precautions to prevent the spread of the disease, including masking and social distancing, until vaccinations are widely distributed. Residents must always wear a face mask or covering while in environments where physical distancing is not possible and while in public settings. In addition, everyone is encouraged to frequently wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer, regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces, and stay home if you are sick or instructed to isolate/quarantine by a medical or public health professional.