COVID-19 Vaccine Information
The first COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized for use in the United States. Hundreds of millions of people have now received these safe and effective vaccines. The Public Health Department strongly recommends that anyone aged 12 and above get vaccinated now.
Additional Doses for immunocompromised patients after two doses of Pfizer or Moderna: 3rd doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized for patients who are at least 28 days from their last dose and who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. At this time, additional doses after receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine have not been authorized. If you are not sure whether you qualify for a 3rd dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, please consult with your physician.
All individuals age 12 and older are eligible to be vaccinated.
Youth between 12 to 17-years old need to provide a signed consent form from a parent or legal guardian. For County-operated sites, the consent form is available online.
Santa Clara County, VTA has created an interactive map for the public to find a list of the current vaccination locations, along with the bus or light rail routes to take to each site. Transit trips are free as VTA is currently not collecting fares. When viewers click on any vaccination location on the map, they will be taken to the Google Maps transit option to find the most efficient transit route to get to the destination.
When you can get vaccinated
Healthcare workers and long-term care residents (Phase 1A)~Now vaccinating
People with a high chance of exposure and those 65 or older (Phase 1B)~Now vaccinating
Sector populations with high chance of exposure:
Agriculture and food
Education and childcare
Emergency services
Individuals age 16 or older at higher risk~Now vaccinating
People with certain significant high-risk:
Medical conditions
Disabilities
Illnesses
Living spaces
Work environments
Every Californian 16 or older~Starts April 15, 2021
Vaccination of people younger than 16 will start as soon as the COVID-19 vaccines are approved for them.
Individuals who are eligible to be vaccinated are encouraged, but not required, to contact their healthcare system to make an appointment. Under the County’s “no wrong door” policy, all providers below (with the exception of the VA) are able to vaccinate eligible patients regardless of your healthcare provider or insurance. See below for scheduling options by provider.
Anyone who is 16 years of age or older and lives or works in Santa Clara County; or
Individuals who reside in a high-risk congregate setting in Santa Clara County; or
Individuals in Santa Clara County who are at highest risk for extreme complications from COVID-19 due to specific health conditions; or
Individuals in Santa Clara County who are at high-risk for extreme complications from COVID-19 due to a severe mental or physical disability; or
People who live or work in Santa Clara County and are at risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their work in:
– Healthcare; or
– Education and Childcare; or
– Emergency Services; or
– Food and Agriculture; or
– Public Transit
The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program has been activated with select pharmacy partners. California’s current pharmacy partners are CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Albertsons, Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Topco, Cardinal, CPESN, Good Neighbor, and Health Mart. Pharmacy partners are now offering COVID-19 vaccine in their select store locations. Currently, eligible groups are ages 65+, health-care workers, long-term care and congregate settings, food and agriculture workers, education and childcare workers, emergency services workers, public transit workers, airport workers, commercial airline workers, and ages 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions. Appointments will be required. Eligible Californians should not contact individual stores for appointments or come to the store seeking a vaccination without an appointment. Eligible individuals should be directed to the following scheduling links below for an appointment:
Mountain View Community Center
Appointment-only vaccination site operated by the County will provide up to 1,000 vaccine doses per weekday. The Mountain View location is now accepting appointments. To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at this or other locations in Santa Clara County, visit sccfreevax.org.
Note: If you’re age 16-17, you can receive the Pfizer vaccine with consent. Bring a parent or guardian to your vaccine appointment, or have them sign this form and bring it with you.
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Hospitals and Clinics, please proceed with the scheduling process on this link. Sites available in San Jose, Gilroy, Santa Clara, and Mountain View. Please continue checking for updated information at sccfreevax.org.
All individuals age 16 and older who live, work, or attend school in Santa Clara County are eligible to be vaccinated.New appointments are regularly added by the County of Santa Clara Health System and all other providers, and many providers are now adding appointments. Please check this website for updates.As of April 28, the County of Santa Clara Health System and other healthcare providers can resume the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at select locations, following federal and state recommendations. The County Health System will offer either Pfizer or Moderna (2-dose mRNA vaccines) at all of its vaccination clinics. In addition, the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available upon request at select sites. For more information about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, see fact sheet from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.
VA Palo Alto HealthCare System: Click here to schedule an appointment for a vaccination
Congress has passed a new law that allows us to offer COVID-19 vaccines to more people. VA is now able to offer vaccine to the following groups who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine at VA when their local VA facilities have enough vaccine:
Veterans
Spouse of a Veteran
Caregivers of a Veteran
Recipients of Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) benefits
Walgreens
Let’s check COVID-19 vaccine and testing availability in your area. Enter 95035. Best to check just after midnight.
What if I have problems accessing those websites, or they won’t accept my zip Code?
Quarantine Guidance for fully vaccinated people
Following the direction of the CDC and CDPH, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department has issued new quarantine guidance for people who have been fully vaccinated.
If you have completed your COVID-19 vaccination and you have been a close contact to someone with COVID-19, you do NOT need to quarantine if you meet ALL the conditions listed below.
Are fully vaccinated (this means 2 or more weeks have passed after you received the second dose in a 2-dose vaccine series, or 2 or more weeks have passed after you received one dose of a single-dose vaccine),
Are within 3 months after you received the last dose in the vaccine series,
Do not have symptoms of COVID-19 since the current exposure. (If you have COVID-19 symptoms, isolate and get tested immediately.
Evidence used to update the list of underlying medical conditions that increase a person’s risk of severe illness from COVID-19~Updated March 29, 2021
This list is a living document that will be periodically updated by CDC, and it could rapidly change as the science evolves. Severe illness from COVID-19 is defined as hospitalization, admission to the ICU, intubation or mechanical ventilation, or death. Find out just how likely you are to get a severe case of COVID-19 because of underlying conditions here.
MOA of Messenger RNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccines
This animation demonstrates the mechanism of action of Messenger RNA based vaccines for COVID-19 (SARs-CoV-2) from companies such as Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Arcturus Therapeutics.
How mRNA Vaccines Work – Simply Explained
mRNA vaccines have to potential to end the COVID19 pandemic. How do they work? Are they safe? And how could they’ve been developed so quickly? The main idea of mRNA vaccines is to trick our bodies to produce part of a virus. This kickstarts our immune response, without getting us sick. All that’s needed is a part of the virus’s DNA or RNA, packaged into mRNA. Cool!
What is my BMI?
Since one of the more likely dangerous underlying conditions is obesity, defined as a BMI equal to or greater than 30, you may want to calculate your BMI on this CDC page. Those with BMI greater than or equal to 40 can be vaccinated at this time.
Sun: Beauty or the Beast. Dr. Sunil Dhawan discusses causes and prevention of skin cancer with host Ann Zeise.
Exposure to the sun can have a variety of harmful effects, including skin cancer. Ann Zeise interviews Milpitas and Fremont dermatologist Dr. Sunil Dhawan, who describes the risks, effects, and prevention of solar-induced skin cancer. (There are medical images in this program that may be disturbing to some viewers.)
With the warmer months just around the corner you may be getting ready to plan some fun in the sun. The summertime always finds children spending hours outside playing, as well as beach-filled family vacations, backyard barbeques, and more days just spent soaking up some much-needed vitamin D.
While it can certainly be great for our emotional and mental well-being to go outside, it’s also important that we are protecting our skin against the harmful effects of the sun’s rays. These are some habits to follow all year long to protect against skin cancer,
Wear Sunscreen Daily
Just because the sun isn’t shining doesn’t mean that your skin isn’t being exposed to the harmful UVA and UVB rays. The sun’s rays have the ability to penetrate through clouds. So it’s important that you generously apply sunscreen to the body and face about 30 minutes before going outside.
Opt for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 that also protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Everyone should use sunscreen, even infants. Just one sunburn during your lifetime can greatly increase your risk for developing skin cancer, so always remember to lather up!
Reapply Sunscreen Often
If you are planning to be outdoors for a few hours you’ll want to bring your sunscreen with you. After all, one application won’t be enough to protect you all day long. A good rule of the thumb to follow is, reapply sunscreen every two hours. Of course, you’ll also want to apply sunscreen even sooner if you’ve just spent time swimming or if you’ve been sweating a lot (e.g. running a race or playing outdoor sports).
Dr. Dhawan is a graduate of San Francisco State University and the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at U.C.S.F followed by a residency in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami, where he was also Chief Resident. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Dermatology. Dr. Dhawan is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Dermatology. He also is an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the Stanford University, Department of Dermatology, where he teaches dermatology residents and medical students. In addition to English, he speaks Hindi.
A friend, who was badly traumatized by her caregivers in early childhood and cruelty from employers, created this brochure, to be printed two-sided, to be handed to her health providers to help them understand her past, and how it can be triggered by them if they don’t take care to treat her humanely. For more information about Adverse Childhood Experiences check out the ACEs Connection website.
This page is part of our continuing effort to provide support for those who have experienced trauma and may be suicidal and need to find help.
Predictability: Everyone loves surprises! Not. Trauma survivors often prefer predictability because that feels safer.
Space: Allow time for the survivor to calm down and take perspective. Remember that we trauma survivors often have difficulty regulating our emotions and take longer to calm down. Maybe support self-soothing, for example suggesting you both go for a walk, maybe stay well clear! If the survivor is caught up in the fight/flight response you may be mistaken for the enemy.
Perspective: Be aware when ‘the past is intruding into the present.’ Don’t take responsibility for what is not yours… gently. You can own any insensitivity or lack of consideration that has provoked the reaction and yet separate it from whatever past trauma is fueling what would otherwise appear to be a disproportionate response. Remember there is no such thing as ‘over-reacting’ – the reaction is in direct proportion to the pain experienced in the past rather than in response to what’s happening now.
Rid ‘over-reacting,’ ‘over-sensitive,’ ‘over’-anything from your vocabulary.
Language: Don’t refer to ‘your upbringing, your problem, issues, behavior.’ This sounds like judgment or at the very least like the trauma survivor is somehow broken or the problem. Call it for what it is – trauma.
Be kind, loving, patient… But empathetically set limits – you have needs too! It’s okay to talk about when the survivor’s reactions hurt you too. “I love you and I understand how scared/angry/sad you are… and it’s not okay to hurt me.” Whatever our trauma history, we must all learn to be accountable when we hurt others.
Reciprocity: Most of us had parents who lacked skills in listening, empathy, tolerating uncomfortable feelings, empowerment… Give what you also need to receive [because that’s the best way of making sure you get it back. Make sure that you are getting these things somewhere in your life. If the survivor is your friend or romantic partner, be sure that there is a two-way street. However much you love someone who has experienced trauma, it is unhealthy if you become a savior, therapist, or martyr.
Control and choice. Big trigger when a survivor is denied these. Confer, collaborate cooperate. Unilateral moves even when benevolent will not be appreciated! Trauma is about getting hurt when you had no power or control over the situation, and it is immensely activating when the trauma survivor experiences that powerlessness again. If you want one way to ensure one of the fight/flight/freeze/collapse survival responses, taking away control is the way to do it!
Here’s a recap of the last three weeks, courtesy of Peter Lengsfelder:
A RECAP OF THE LAST THREE WEEKS
AMERICA: Oh my god! Coronavirus! What should we do?
CALIFORNIA: Shut down your state.
AMERICA: Wait… what? Why?
CALIFORNIA: Because 40 million people live here and we did it early, and it’s working.
OHIO: Whoa… whoa… let’s not be hasty now. The president said that this whole coronavirus thing is a democratic hoax.
CALIFORNIA: He also said that windmills cause cancer. Shut down your state.
TEXAS: But the president said that there are only 15 cases and soon there will be zero.
CALIFORNIA: The president can’t count to fifteen. Nor even spell it. Shut down your state.
NEW JERSEY: Us too?
CALIFORNIA: Yes, you guys too. Just like when Christie shut down the bridge, but it’s your whole state.
FLORIDA: But what about all these kids here on spring break?? They spend a lot of money here!
CALIFORNIA: Those kids invented the tide pod challenge. Shut down your state.
LOUISIANA: But wait let’s have Mardi Gras first. It entertains people.
CALIFORNIA: It also kills them. Shut it down.
GEORGIA: Ok well how about we keep the state open for all of our mega churches? Maybe we can all pray really hard until the coronavirus just goes away!
CALIFORNIA: Which is working like a charm for mass shootings. Jesus told us to tell you to shut down your state.
OKLAHOMA: What about the tigers?
CALIFORNIA: What about a dentist. Shut it down.
WYOMING: Hold up, maybe we should go county by county like the president said.
CALIFORNIA: Stop acting like there are counties in Wyoming. There are no counties in Wyoming. Wyoming is a county. Shut it down.
PENNSYLVANIA: But big coal.
CALIFORNIA: But big death. Shut it.
WEST VIRGINIA: But we were the last state to get Coronavirus!
CALIFORNIA: And don’t make us explain to you why that was. Shut it down.
NORTH CAROLINA: But the republican national convention is coming here!
CALIFORNIA: SHUT… ok fine do what you want.
Half of us are going to come out of this quarantine as amazing cooks. The other half will come out with a drinking problem.
I used to spin that toilet paper like I was on Wheel of Fortune. Now I turn it like I’m cracking a safe.
I need to practice social-distancing from the refrigerator.
Still haven’t decided where to go for Passover/Easter—– The Living Room or The Bedroom
Public Service Announcement: Every few days try your jeans on just to make sure they fit. Pajamas will have you believe all is well in the kingdom.
Homeschooling is going well. 2 students suspended for fighting and 1 teacher fired for drinking on the job.
I don’t think anyone expected that when we changed the clocks we’d go from Standard Time to the Twilight Zone
This morning I saw a neighbor talking to her cat. It was obvious she thought her cat understood her. I came into my house, told my dog….. we laughed a lot.
So, after this quarantine…..will the producers of My 600 Pound Life just find me or do I find them?
Quarantine Day 5: Went to this restaurant called THE KITCHEN. You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal. I have no clue how this place is still in business.
My body has absorbed so much soap and disinfectant lately that when I pee it cleans the toilet.
Day 5 of Homeschooling: One of these little monsters called in a bomb threat.
I’m so excited — it’s time to take out the garbage. What should I wear?
I hope the weather is good tomorrow for my trip to Puerto Backyarda. I’m getting tired of Los Livingroom.
Classified Ad: Single man with toilet paper seeks woman with hand sanitizer for good clean fun.
Day 6 of Homeschooling: My child just said “I hope I don’t have the same teacher next year”…. I’m offended.
Better 6 feet apart than 6 feet under
Thanks for sharing : Originated by Sally O’Reilly by way of Rachel Sager
Neil Diamond sings “Sweet Caroline” with updated lyric for safety during Covid-19 pandemic. Stay safe out there!
Coronavirus COVID-19 Updates for Milpitas
As the Coronavirus COVID-19 has hit our city and county particularly hard, I will use this post to keep you updated on important information you will need right here in town. Some posts here will be updated with extra links to Covid-19 information related to their usual topics.
Keeping Hands Clean
Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Learn when and how you should wash your hands to stay healthy.
Wash Your Hands Often to Stay Healthy
You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:
Before, during, and after preparing food
Before eating food
Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
After handling pet food or pet treats
After touching garbage
Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way
Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.
Follow these five steps every time.
Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can’t Use Soap and Water
You can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.
Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,
Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.
Caution! Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning if more than a couple of mouthfuls are swallowed. Keep it out of reach of young children and supervise their use. Learn more here.
How to use hand sanitizer
Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
Rub your hands together.
Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.
New Handwashing Campaign: Life is Better with Clean Hands
To celebrate Global Handwashing Day on October 15, CDC has launched the Life is Better with Clean Hands campaign. This campaign encourages adults to make handwashing part of their everyday life and encourages parents to wash their hands to set a good example for their kids. Visit the Life is Better with Clean Hands campaign page to download resources to help promote handwashing in your community.
For more information on handwashing, visit CDC’s Handwashing website or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.
This site is in no way affiliated or connected with Milpitas Square in Milpitas, CA. Most stores linked here are located in the Milpitas Square shopping center or nearby, but some advertisers may not. Check addresses and information carefully!
An Evening at Milpitas Square
Major Stores
99 Ranch Market
California’s No. 1 Asian grocery store. Select fish still swimming and they will fillet for you. Become a Facebook fan of the market. Site in English and Chinese. 338 Barber Lane. Milpitas Square.
