COVID Vaccine
in Modesto, CA

At this time, the COVID vaccine is not publicly available in Modesto. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 11, 2020 with initial doses being distributed in accordance with CDC recommendations. Distribution for the COVID vaccine in Modesto is being governed by the State of California.

While the FDA has approved the first of at least two COVID vaccines for emergency use, the CDC has defined as phased distribution plan that prioritizes healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities and essential workers. The State of California will outline specific plans for the COVID vaccine in Modesto, however, it is not expected to be available for the general population until at least early 2021.

The first two COVID vaccine candidates developed by Pfizer and Moderna each require two (2) doses of the COVID vaccine. Each dose must be of the same product, and will need to be separated by either 21 days or 28 days, depending on the vaccine. That means if you received your first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, your second dose must also be the Pfizer vaccine. Consult your healthcare professional for additional questions.

A vaccine is a medicine designed to defend against diseases by introducing the immune system to a virus in a safe way. This process allows the immune system to learn how to defeat it by generating antibodies specific to the virus. These antibodies will help ward off future infections and in some cases prevent re-infection. Scientists are still researching how long antibodies last for coronavirus (COVID-19), which could inform how long a vaccine will last.

In addition to the notable Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, it is good that there are as many as 170 COVID vaccines now in development worldwide, moving at a rapid pace unlike anything we have seen previously. Given the billions of doses of vaccine needed throughout the world, multiple vaccines from multiple manufacturers will likely be necessary not only to support the scale, but to also successfully immunize people of all ages, demographics, and medical needs.

Many medical research facilities and organizations are conducting, or are part of, vaccination research trials right now. If you are interested in participating in one and have an academic medical center near Modesto, you may want to reach out to them directly. Or, contact your local health department for their direction.

Solv is actively maintaining a directory of locations offering COVID testing in Modesto. Testing for the coronavirus may still be limited in many areas throughout the country, including Modesto, however. Generally speaking, area hospitals, Modesto urgent care centers and some retail clinics—as well as community-based organizations and cities—are offering COVID testing. Some testing sites are allowing walk-in patients, however, most are requiring some degree of pre-screening, as well as booking an appointment online to prioritize need and control patient volume.