Covid Vaccine

Protecting public health and reopening the State's economy now depends on millions of Californians getting vaccinated. The following information details vaccine safety and delivery:

Vaccine Safety and Efficacy

Vaccines work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Two vaccines, both based on messenger RNA (mRNA), have been authorized for emergency use. Visit the links below to understand how these vaccines and others work. Once you are vaccinated, it will help your body develop immunity to the COVID-19 virus without you having to get sick first.

Who is currently eligible?

Orange County residents 12 and older are eligible for vaccination.

How to Get Vaccinated

The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) has transitioned away from providing Vaccination Super POD Sites and is now offering Mobile POD clinics to help OC residents get vaccinated.

REGistering Through OTHENA

To register to receive a vaccination appointment through a County Mobile POD site, visit Othena.com, select the "First Time User" button, and answer the questions. After registering, users will be put into a digital waiting room to wait their turn for a vaccine appointment. The Othena system generates email appointment invitations as soon as appointments open up at vaccine dispensing locations. If users download the Othena app, the app will notify users when appointments become available. Appointments are limited by vaccine supply, so please be patient as you may not be able to get an appointment immediately after registering.

If you do not have access to an internet-connected device to sign up online or need help with the registration process, please call the OC Health Care Agency's hotline at 714-834-2000. The hotline is available seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. with live, trained operators who can answer questions related to Othena and vaccine-related issues.

Other VAccine PRoviders

The HCA's mobile clinics are not the only options to receive a vaccination. Other healthcare providers approved to dispense the vaccine, including hospitals, pharmacies, and health clinics, play an essential role in vaccinating Orange County’s population.

The following Hospitals/Medical Providers in Orange County are distributing the vaccine:

The following pharmacy chains in Orange County are distributing the vaccine:

For more vaccination providers, please visit the County's website. Please be advised that only people who are eligible to receive the vaccine will be provided a vaccine by any provider. Please check with your healthcare provider to inquire if they will be offering vaccination appointments.

After Getting Vaccinated

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. After you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (2 weeks after your final dose, or first dose if you received a vaccine that does not require a second dose), you can do things you had stopped doing because of the pandemic, such as:

  • You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic;
  • You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance;
  • If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel;
  • You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States;
    • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it;
    • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States;
    • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel;
    • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States; and
  • If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
    • However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control website for more information.

For more information

Residents can also visit COVIDVaccineFacts.com for the latest information on who is currently eligible to receive the vaccination and learn about its safety and efficacy. For questions related to COVID-19, visit ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus. For all other questions, please call the County of Orange COVID-19 hotline at 714-834-2000. The hotline is available seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. with live, trained operators.