New Covid-19 vaccines are on their way, and expected to begin arriving at hospitals, pharmacies and clinics by the end of this week.
Vaccines will also be free and available for walk-ups at sites across San Francisco starting next week, including at the 24th and Capp site run by the Latino Task Force, UCSF and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
The updated Covid-19 vaccines are from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna and follow approval from the Food and Drug Administration, which authorized both on Monday.
All San Franciscans six months and older are urged to get vaccinated against both covid and flu this fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
Health care providers will be prioritized for both covid and flu vaccines.
The vaccines are meant to help combat the recent covid case surge and provide better protection against current variants.
San Francisco also offers vaccination to individuals without health insurance or who face barriers to access vaccination through a network of Health Department-affiliated sites, like the Mission Neighborhood Health Center and the Castro-Mission Health Center.
In the Mission, local groups like the Latino Task Force are also preparing for the incoming vaccines. Diane Jones, the Unidos en Salud site leader and a former HIV nurse, said that she witnessed a recent “increase in demand” at the 24th Street health site as mini-surges of covid cases emerged these past weeks.
The Latino Task Force is expecting vaccines to arrive next week for its community sites, according to Susana Rojas, spokesperson for the group.
Health insurance is not required for vaccination at community health sites. Individuals can either walk up or make an appointment through the Latino Task Force’s website, or by scanning the QR code on flyers posted around the Mission.
Currently, the group has two sites in the Mission: one at 24th and Capp streets and the other at 18th and Alabama streets.
The 24th and Capp site recently increased its hours to from 11 a.m to 5:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday to meet demand during this recent surge and is planning a “triple vax” campaign in the coming months for covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
In addition to getting vaccinated, DPH also recommended that San Fransiscans stay home if sick, wear tight-fitting masks in crowded spaces, and keep covid testing kits at home.
You can visit the city’s website for more information regarding vaccine locations, Covid-19 resources and relevant information.
Good. That (and other safety measures) are what will keep us alive now that policy fails us.
Plus, you can the booster the same appointment as your flow shot and it won’t diminish either one.
#MaskUp 😷 #SocialDistance ↔️ #GetVaxxed 💉 #GetBoosted 💉