Gorin on statewide switch to Blue Shield vaccine management

In Sonoma Valley, vaccine clinics had been set up and overseen by a consortium of health organizations, formed by Sonoma County, that included Sonoma Valley Hospital and the Community Health Center. But Gov. Newsom has declared that as of March 7 Blue Shield, not individual counties in the state, will take over the vaccination process.

Here is a statement from First District County Supervisor Susan Gorin:

In the last few days, you may have heard reports about Blue Shield taking over the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines throughout California. I’ve received many questions about how this decision will affect Sonoma County since Governor Newsom made the announcement. I hope the points below can answer some of these questions and I will, of course, keep you updated as we receive more information at the County.

Why has the State contracted with Blue Shield?

Previously, the state relied on each county to oversee COVID vaccinations. The methods of delivery varied depending on the county, with some counties using central county-run hospitals and others, like Sonoma County, working with private healthcare providers to ensure residents had access to the vaccine. In an effort to equitably streamline this, the State of California has contracted Blue Shield as a third-party vendor to oversee vaccinations statewide. 

What happens to Kaiser Permanente members? 

Kaiser patients will continue to receive their vaccinations directly from KP, as they have been. Please contact Kaiser Permanente directly if you have questions. 

When will this start?

March 7 is our target date locally. Blue Shield divided California into three waves based on various criteria, with most of Wave 1 in Southern California starting on Feb. 21, and Sonoma County in Wave 2 to start on Sunday, March 7. 

What does this mean for Sonoma County?

Ahead of March 7, Sonoma County is working closely with Blue Shield and the State to ensure that vaccination distribution can proceed as efficiently as possible. Details are still being finalized as to how these Blue Shield clinics will interact with clinics currently running in Sonoma County, as listed at https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/vaccine-information/clinics/.

How do I sign up for Blue Shield’s vaccination program?

I urge all Sonoma County residents to sign up on the State’s My Turn website at https://myturn.ca.gov/. You may have previously used this system to register your interest in a vaccine, but please visit it again and become familiar with it. As soon as Blue Shield’s vaccination program begins in Sonoma County on March 7, this website will be the primary appointment processing platform for the County.

One notable exception again: Kaiser Permanente will continue to distribute vaccinations to its members. According to Kaiser’s communications last week, the State has increased the number of vaccine doses available to Kaiser in order to better match the number of members it serves throughout the State. Please contact your health care provider with further questions if you are a Kaiser member.

Who can I contact if I have other questions?

My staff and I are making every effort to communicate with you as we learn more about the Blue Shield vaccination rollout in Sonoma County. In the meantime, please make use of the following resources:

• Visit https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/ for information on statewide vaccination efforts. 
• Call the State’s COVID call center at 833-422-4255 (833-4CA-4ALL) with any COVID-related questions. They are open from 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM on weekdays and 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM on weekends.
• Visit https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/vaccine-information/ for information on the county’s vaccination efforts, and to register for local clinics ahead of the March 7 switch to Blue Shield.
• Call Sonoma County’s COVID hotline at 707-565-4667 for other COVID-related questions.

I’d like to take a moment to recognize the frustration so many of us are feeling. The process of vaccinating every Sonoma County resident — not to mention the effort involved with securing that number of doses from the State in the first place — is a mammoth undertaking. As these pieces continue to fall into place, patience is key.