June 15th marked California’s reopening day. An incredible milestone but we must not let our guard down now as new variants of the virus continue to rise. We are still on the course towards getting every Californian from all 58 counties vaccinated. In order to achieve this, the state has rolled out a vaccination campaign detailing the ways you can help us reach community immunity!

1. Get Vaccinated 

The most important way you can help in the vaccination effort is by getting vaccinated against COVID-19. San Mateo County Health has set up a complete list of vaccine clinic times and locations available in the area. Click here to get times and locations. 

Helpful Vaccine Information: 

The FDA has approved the emergency use of three COVID-19 vaccines:  

• Pfizer 
• Moderna 
• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) 

All three have been shown through clinical trials to be safe and effective at preventing severe illness from COVID-19. 

Pfizer and Moderna both require 2 doses. The 2nd dose is to be given 3 weeks after your 1st dose of the Pfizer vaccine or 4 weeks after your 1st dose of the Moderna vaccine. Johnson & Johnson only requires a single dose. Keep in mind that it takes 2 weeks after your 2nd dose of Pfizer or Moderna or 1st dose of Johnson & Johnson to be considered fully vaccinated. 

Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are approved for all adults 18 and older. Pfizer is approved for all those 12 and older. However, parent or guardian consent is required for the vaccination of minors 12-17 either in-person, by phone or with a signed copy of the vaccination consent form found here.  

2. Share Your COVID-19 Vaccine Story 

One quick and easy way everyone can help is by sharing your COVID-19 vaccine story. Help build vaccine confidence in the community by uploading a selfie or video on social media explaining why it is important for you to get vaccinated.* California Volunteers has put together a sample script to get you started: 

“Hi! This is [name] and I wanted to tell you who I got vaccinated for. I wanted to be able to [example on who you you’re trying to keep safe] and with the vaccines being so safe, effective and free it just made sense. Go to MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255 to make your appointment today. Let’s get back to seeing the people we love and end the pandemic.” 

You can also find more sample scripts here. 

Once you have taken your video/selfie, complete the following steps for a chance to get featured on @CaliforniaVolunteers: 

• Upload your video/selfie to your social media 

• Tag @CaliforniaVolunteers 

• Include hashtags: #VaccinateALL58, #GetToImmunity, #CaliforniaforAll 

*We encourage you to blur out or place your hand over sensitive information on your vaccine card such as date of birth before sharing your video/selfie to social media.  

3. Local Volunteer Opportunities 

Another great way to get involved in the vaccination effort is by volunteering for the virtual phone bank. In this role, you can help inform Californians about vaccine information and appointments. Spanish speakers are highly encouraged to apply. Sign up here. 

4. Talk to your friends and family 

If your friends or family are hesitant about getting the vaccine, this article from The New York Times is a great resource that will prepare you for that challenging vaccine conversation. Through an interactive chatbot feature you will have the choice to respond to a series of messages and receive automatic feedback on the responses you choose.  

5. Stay Informed 

We are learning new information every day about the vaccines effectiveness. Stay informed by periodically visiting our site or follow us on social media to stay up to date on the latest local updates. We also recommend that you visit the CDC and San Mateo County Health websites for more in depth information on the vaccines. 

You can have an incredible impact on the vaccination effort in just 5 simple ways. Thank you for getting involved and helping us beat COVID-19 together!