Federal health officials announced Wednesday the booster shots will be administered to all eligible Americans at least eight months after their second dose, but healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff will be prioritized.
RELATED: Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test to be required at indoor events in CA
"So if you got vaccinated in January you will be eligible in September," said UCSF's Dr. George Rutherford.
[Ads /]
Rutherford says reopening large-scale vaccination sites will be necessary once the general public is next in line.
"It's just the way it's going to have to happen," he said.
VIDEO: Delta surge is 'clearly plateauing' in the Bay Area, UCSF doctors say
Delta surge is 'clearly plateauing' in the Bay Area, UCSF doctors say
Health officers across the Bay Area are awaiting formal guidance on distribution plans from the state, but most have indicated it will mirror the initial rollout. For example, San Mateo County says their plan will likely include mass vaccination sites. Whereas, San Francisco County is hoping to avoid reopening mass sites in the beginning of the rollout.
[Ads /]
"As of now we don't need to do any additional mass vaccination sites because a lot of that will happen through health systems," said San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip.
"So if you're in group 1 in San Francisco, you would contact your doctor or healthcare system indicating you're eligible?" ABC7's Stephanie Sierra asked.
"Yes, I have one of the conditions that has been listed as being eligible and getting it there," said Philip. "It really will be them either working directly with their doctor, provider, health system, or hospital."
VACCINE TRACKER: Here's how CA is doing, when you can get a coronavirus vaccine
Dr. Philip says instead of mass vaccination sites, pharmacies and health clinics will likely be on the list of providers distributing the first round of boosters. But, Mike Wasserman, who served on the state's Vaccine Advisory Committee is concerned about that.
[Ads /]
"I think it would be a huge mistake to even consider going back to CVS and Walgreens," Wasserman said. "I think what we really need to do is to facilitate making the vaccine readily available to the long-term care pharmacies."
As for how vaccinations will be verified?
"Those details have yet to be fully worked out. But, I think having your card with you will help a lot to skip through a lot of the steps of the registry," said Rutherford.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Map shows which counties can, can't reopen under reopening tiers
- Cheat sheet: What you can and can't do after being fully vaccinated
- How to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in every Bay Area county
- Map shows everywhere you can get a COVID-19 test in the Bay Area
- Interactive map shows what's closed and what's reopening in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Data tracker: Coronavirus cases, deaths, hospitalizations in every Bay Area county
- Third stimulus check calculator: See how much you could get
- COVID-19 Diaries: Personal stories of Bay Area residents during pandemic
- Get the latest updates on California EDD, stimulus checks, unemployment benefits
- Coronavirus origin: Where did COVID-19 come from?
- What is a COVID-19 genetic, antigen and antibody test?
- What does COVID-19 do to your body and why does it spread so easily?
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area
- Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic