Scheduling second dose of COVID-19 vaccine: Here’s what you need to know
Securing the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is no small feat, but that's not where the journey ends -- one dose is not enough protection.
Thousands of people are close to being ready for their second dose of a coronavirus vaccine in Riverside County.
News Channel 3’s Dani Romero breaks down what you need to know when its your time for the second shot.
"When I got the appointment for the vaccine it was through sheer dumb luck," said Mark Leonard.
Mark Leonard calls himself one of the lucky ones to get the Moderna vaccine last month at the Indio fairgrounds.
But now he’s concerned about securing his second dose.
“Why isn't Riverside County doing what is common practice, every place else in the country, when you get your first dose, you are automatically scheduled for your second dose," said Leonard.
Fortunately, Leonard has some time before he needs his second shot.
So, how do you get your appointment for the second dose?
“If you went through a county operating facility you will be notified via email," said Jose Arballo, senior public information specialist for Riverside County. "Generally it will be email, rarely, it might be a phone call or it might be some sort of message that way, but you'll be contacted before the due time.”
County officials told News Channel 3 you could be notified five days out or less from your follow up appointment.
“If you're 21 days out of 28 days out, we don't schedule that far out," said Arballo. "The availability might not be there to the degree that we want.”
Can you mix vaccines?
“No, absolutely not," said Arballo. "You want to have the same if you do Moderna first you should do Moderna second time around."
Can you change locations from where you got your first vaccine?
“We encourage people to not only seek out ours, but if they do have, if they get a notification from one of the community providers maybe it's a medical group or something or a hospital that's going to be doing it they're welcome to go there," said Arballo.
And with vaccine supply being so limited, now, the CDC suggested a person can wait up to 42 days before getting the second dose instead of the original recommendation of 21 to 28 days
“The 42 day period is something we're looking at as well, because a lot of it has more to do with supply than anything else," said Arballo.