COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics Open in Large-Scale Effort to Vaccinate Inland Empire Community
- Loma Linda University Health is making a large-scale effort to vaccinate the community against COVID-19, currently with two vaccine clinic sites and the potential to expand in the future.
- San Bernardino County residents who fall in all tiers of phase 1A or are 65 years of age or older are eligible to get vaccinated.
- Appointments are required to receive a vaccine and can be made online at lluh.org/vaccine.
- The vaccines are provided free of charge to guests, and insurance is not required to receive the vaccine.
1 February 2020 | Loma Linda University Health is making a large-scale effort to vaccinate the community against COVID-19, currently with two vaccine clinic sites and the potential to expand in the future. The largest vaccine clinic is at Loma Linda University Drayson Center, 25040 Stewart Street, Loma Linda; and another at Park Plaza, 1790 Park Avenue, Redlands.
San Bernardino County residents who fall in all tiers of phase 1A or are 65 years of age or older are eligible to get vaccinated. As the state and county expand the groups that are eligible, the clinic will also expand as appropriate.
Appointments are required to receive a vaccine and can be made online at lluh.org/vaccine. If no appointments are available, please check back frequently, as more are added as they become available.
Only those with an appointment will be vaccinated. Walk-ins are not available, due to limited vaccine supply, and standby lines will not be allowed.
Michael Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, dean of LLU School of Pharmacy, has played an integral role in getting the clinic up and running and is eager to provide the vaccine to the community.
“Our goal is to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible so we can bring this pandemic to an end,” he said. “We believe the most effective way to end the pandemic is to get 80% of our population vaccinated. We want to do our part to make that happen.”
What to expect
Guests with a vaccine appointment should arrive a few minutes early to allow time for parking and check-in. Guests will be asked to provide a driver’s license or official form of identification.
The vaccines are provided free of charge to guests, and insurance is not required to receive the vaccine. Proof of insurance will be requested if available, but it is not mandatory.
“We want everyone to have equal access to the vaccine, regardless of insurance,” Hogue said.
Vaccines will be administered by Loma Linda University clinical faculty and students.
After receiving the vaccine, guests will be required to remain on site for observation for at least 15 minutes. Those with a history of reactions to vaccines will need to stay for at least 30 minutes. Prior to departure, guests will be given an appointment for their second dose.
Ricardo Peverini, MD, President, Loma Linda University Faculty Medical Group, is also working diligently to ensure the vaccine reaches our community.
“Additional appointments will be added as our vaccine supply increases.” He added, “We strongly encourage everyone in our community meeting the eligibility criteria to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
More information and answers to common questions about COVID-19 are available online at lluh.org/coronavirus.
PHOTO CAPTION: A community member receives her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, January 28.
About Loma Linda University Health
Loma Linda University Health includes Loma Linda University’s eight professional schools, Loma Linda University Medical Center’s six hospitals and more than 1,000 faculty physicians located in the Inland Empire of Southern California. Established in 1905, Loma Linda University Health is a global leader in education, research and clinical care. It offers over 100 academic programs and provides quality health care to over 40,000 inpatients and 1.5 million outpatients each year. A Seventh-day Adventist organization, Loma Linda University Health is a faith-based health system with a mission “to continue the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”