On January 16 and 17, 2021, Redwood Coast Medical Services (RCMS) in partnership with Mendocino County Public Health and Coast Life Support District administered over 700 COVID-19 vaccinations at the Gualala Community Center.

COVID-19 vaccines were given to Phase 1B, Tier 1 individuals which included ages 75+, teachers and child care providers and non-healthcare essential workers. This was an “invite only” vaccination event. The event was supported by over 30 community volunteers.

If you would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and live in the RCMS services area (Southern Mendocino and Northern Sonoma County), please fill out this survey to be added to the list:
·ENGLISH: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYGPTVS
SPANISH: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RR7XJMN

To date, over 3,000 people have signed up via this survey to request the vaccine. It will take time to work our way through the list, as supplies are still very limited and each person will need to receive two doses. We know many people are eager to get the vaccine and we appreciate everyone’s patience. RCMS will invite individuals on the list when it is their turn.

RCMS is coordinating with the County to host additional mass vaccine clinics in the future. If we continue to get regular vaccine supplies, we would host these on a weekly basis. However, this is dependent on our ability to get vaccines from the County.

A COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is available on the RCMS webpage:
https://www.rcms-healthcare.org/news/covid-19-vaccine-frequently-asked-questions

​The COVID-19 vaccination roll out is an evolving situation. We will update this FAQ, as needed. Thank you for your patience as RCMS partners with Mendocino County Public Health and Coast Life Support District to roll out the vaccine in our community.

When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out in Phases and Tiers per order of the State and County Health Department. RCMS is currently immunizing Phase 1A (which includes health care providers, emergency medical services providers, first responders, and nursing home residents) and Phase 1B – Tier 1 (individuals 75 and older, non-healthcare frontline essential workers (restaurant/grocery store), teachers and child care workers). Although the State defines Phase 1B -Tier 1 to include individuals 65 and over, we have been directed by the County to use the supplies for ages 75 and over and this time.
RCMS is coordinating the vaccine rollout by asking community members willing to take the vaccine to complete the survey. Here is the link to the survey:
​English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYGPTVS
Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RR7XJMN
RCMS will contact persons from the survey list when vaccines are available and match with your specific tier.

Paper version is also available for download here.

Who can get the vaccine?
RCMS is offering the vaccines to people living in our service area, ages 18 and up. This includes residents in southern Mendocino County and northern Sonoma County, generally the area from Irish Beach in the north to Timber Cove in the south.

Do I have to be an RCMS patient to get the vaccine?
No. You do not have to be a patient of RCMS.

How do I get on the RCMS vaccine interest list?
Please fill out the RCMS survey form at this link:
​English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYGPTVS
Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RR7XJMN

Do I have to pay for the vaccine?
If you come to a mass vaccination clinic, the vaccine is provided for free.  RCMS will have a donation box available at the mass vaccine clinics if individuals would like to make a donation to help offset costs.  If you come to the clinic for an appointment, your insurance will be billed for the shot administration.

What COVID-19 vaccine will RCMS offer?
Currently there are two vaccines approved for distribution in the United States: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. RCMS receives it vaccine supply from County Public Health and does not have control over which is received.

Who will be giving the vaccines?
Vaccines are administered by RCMS RNs, PAs, NPs, MDs, Medical Assistants, and volunteer RNs, MDs, PAs, NPs, Paramedics, and EMTs. They have all been trained in vaccine administration.

Does the vaccine require multiple doses?
Yes. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines requires two doses given at least 21 days apart. The Moderna vaccines requires two doses given at least 28 days apart.

Do I need both vaccine doses?
Currently the public health guideline is that you need to receive both vaccine doses.

If I get the first vaccine dose, do I automatically get the second at the same location?
Yes. If you get the first vaccine at RCMS you will also get your second vaccine at RCMS.

Can I get the vaccine at either the Gualala clinic or Point Arena clinic?
All COVID-19 vaccines will be given at our Gualala clinic or at scheduled mass vaccine events.

If I was invited to a mass vaccine clinic, do I need to bring a printed copy of my invitation?
We will have a list of the individuals that were invited, but you can bring a printed copy if you like. You will need to bring a photo ID with your name.

I qualify for the vaccine but have not received an invitation to the mass vaccine clinic.
RCMS is sending out invitations to individuals to participate in vaccine clinics. These invitations are going out via email. Invitations are based upon an individual qualifying for a specific Phase and Tier. Please understand that there may be more people who qualify for the Phase and Tier than we have doses for this first vaccine clinic. You may qualify and not receive an invitation this round. You would remain on the list for upcoming vaccine clinics.

Will the vaccine clinics be closely monitoring to honor social distancing?
Yes. The vaccine clinics will be set up to reflect social distancing recommendations. Individuals coming to the clinic should wear a mask.

Will there be more mass vaccine clinics?
RCMS is coordinating with the County to host additional mass vaccine clinics in the future. If we continue to get regular vaccine supplies, we would host these on a weekly basis. However, this is dependent on our ability to get vaccines from the County. We understand many people are eager to get the vaccine and appreciate your patience.

Will I get a vaccine certificate if I get vaccinated?
Currently, the CDC provides cards with each vaccine. Anyone getting vaccinated will get this card, along with the date they need to get their second dose.

Can the COVID-19 vaccine make you sick with COVID-19?
No. According to the CDC, none of the authorized and recommended COVID-19 vaccines or COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. This means that a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

What are typical side effects to the vaccine?
A COVID-19 vaccine can cause mild side effects after the first or second dose, including:
· Pain, redness or swelling where the shot was given
· Fever
· Fatigue
· Headache
· Muscle pain
· Chills
· Joint pain

You will be monitored for a minimum of 15 minutes after getting a COVID-19 vaccine to see if you have an immediate reaction. Individuals who have a history of anaphylaxis will be monitored for 30 minutes. Most side effects happen within the first three days after vaccination and typically last only one to two days.

Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I have a history of severe allergic reactions?
According to Mayo Clinic, if you have a history of severe allergic reactions not related to vaccines or injectable medications, you may still get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you have a history of anaphylaxis, you should be monitored for 30 minutes after getting the vaccine.

If you’ve had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable medications, ask your health care provider if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you’ve ever had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC recommends not getting that specific vaccine.

If I already had COVID-19 and recovered should I still get vaccinated?
Yes. According to the CDC, due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible, vaccine should be offered to you regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 infection.

Do I still need to wear a mask and socially distance after I receive the vaccine?
Yes. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19.

​Additional Resources:
CDC COVID-19 FAQ: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html
Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Redwood Coast Medical Services (RCMS), in collaboration with Coast Life Support District (CLSD) and the Mendocino Public Health Department, will be running the community’s first mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

When: January 16 and 17, 2021, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm
Where: Gualala Community Center, 47950 Center Street, Gualala
Who: By invitation only for Phase 1A and 1B (Tier 1) persons
** Bring your photo ID that matches the name of the invitation.

Our community’s first mass vaccination clinic will be done by invitation only to individuals who signed up on the RCMS COVID19 vaccine interest list. Invitations will be provided via email for this event. We are not calling people.

If you would like to get a COVID19 vaccine please go online and take the COVID19 vaccination questionnaire via these links. Please help friends and family register if they do not have computer access or skills.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYGPTVS (English)
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RR7XJMN (Spanish)

During this mass vaccination event, approximately 300 vaccines will be given each day to Phase 1A and 1B (Tier 1) persons.

Phase 1B, Tier 1 was just opened up by Mendocino County and includes:
· Persons over age 75
· Non–health care frontline essential workers (such as restaurant/grocery store)
· Teachers and child care workers

We have already been immunizing frontline healthcare workers, emergency medical service workers, and residents of care facilities (Phase 1A individuals).

RCMS respects that there are MANY more individuals in our community who need the COVID-19 vaccine than can be accommodated at this clinic, and we are working to roll these out as quickly as they become available to us. We are developing the systems to do this safely and efficiently.

RCMS recognizes the urgency of this situation. We also recognize that not all community members have access to computers (for online registration), and not all of our patients are mobile and able to stand in line for a mass vaccination situation. RCMS will also have vaccines available which can be provided in the clinic. We will be contacting people, and announcing to the community, once we have more access to vaccines.

This effort is taking place with a large number of community volunteers who have stepped up to volunteer their time. We are incredibly grateful to them for their valuable contribution of time and skill.

Please stay safe, and know we are working as quickly and safely as possible to get our community immunized.

On December 31, 2020, Redwood Coast Medical Services (RCMS) received a redesignation as an approved Alternative Emergency Medical Service (EMS) receiving facility for the Coastal Valley EMS Region.

This redesignation is important as it allows Coast Life Support District (CLSD) ambulance crews to continue to appropriately and safely transport patients to RCMS Urgent Care. Without this designation, ambulance crews would have to transport patients out of the area which takes the ambulance out of our community for the six-hour round trip. In order to receive the redesignation, RCMS has and will continue to maintain equipment, qualified staff and services to care for patients requiring emergency medical services.
​
RCMS appreciates the efforts of our local partners in EMS services: CLSD ambulance services, Redwood Coast Fire Protection District, South Coast Volunteer Fire Department, North Sonoma Coast Fire Protection District, and Timber Cove Fire Protection District.

RCMS has no control or say on the priorities on who receives the COVID-19 vaccination, on the number of doses and when received, or on the vaccine type to be used.

The State of California and the County Health Departments control these decisions.

RCMS is taking proactive steps in having people sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination interest list to provide information that will place them into different priority tiers established by the State.

To sign up:
www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYGPTVS (English)
www.surveymonkey.com/r/RR7XJMN (Spanish)

This information will be used when Mendocino and Sonoma County Health Departments allocate the vaccines. As RCMS receives the vaccines it will schedule vaccination appointments using the lists generated from the links above.

As of today, RCMS has received 77 vaccine doses and all have been given to individuals in Tier 1a. RCMS has received no information on the number of doses it will receive in the future or when they will arrive.

As reported in the news, the United States is behind considerably in COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

Your political representatives are the people to whom complaints on the process should be sent.

This is the current situation, but things are constantly changing as additional decisions are made at the State and County levels. We will keep the community informed. Thank you for your understanding.

In anticipation of rolling out COVID-19 vaccination in our service area, RCMS is putting together a list of people who are willing to get this vaccine. This list will be broken down by the priority tiers that State and County Public Health requires for vaccine distribution.

Availability of the vaccine, at this time, is totally controlled by the Public Health department. RCMS does not have the ability to directly obtain the vaccines – it must come through Public Health. When and how many vaccines will be provided to RCMS is decided by Public Health.

Having your name in the list helps distribution planning for the vaccine, but does not guarantee getting one.
If you have a family member, friend, or neighbor who would like to get on the vaccine interest list but does not have internet access to complete the survey, we are requesting that you help them register. 
Thank you for your patience as we roll out the vaccine to the community. 

Go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYGPTVS to take the survey.
Aqui esta en espanol: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RR7XJMN

The RCMS Billing Department has moved to the Administrative Offices at the Elaine Jacob Center. To reach the billing office, please call (707) 884-9434 and select option 3. 

​Are you interested in becoming an EMT, Medical Assistant or First Responder?
A new class for Emergency Medical Technicians starts in January 2021. See flyer for details.