Food And Agriculture Workers Can Now Get Vaccinated In LA County

Starting today, March 1, Los Angeles County's food and agriculture workers can receive the free COVID-19 vaccine. It's part of a push to broaden vaccine eligibility and speed up the timeline for inoculating Californians.

"In addition to getting vaccinated at any public site," the L.A. County Department of Public Health says specific groups of people can make appointments to get vaccinated on specific days at county-run MegaPODs. (MegaPODs are just massive vaccination sites. POD = Point Of Distribution.)

For food and agriculture workers, those days are Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If you're a food or agriculture worker who thinks you might qualify for a vaccine, see our guide below. For more information, head to vaccinatelacounty.com or call 211. If you're not sure when/if you're eligible, check the state's website MyTurn.

Who Qualifies?

According to the latest info from L.A. County, eligible food and agriculture workers "may include" (the county's wording):

• grocery store employees
• workers supporting restaurant takeout and quick serve food operations including food preparation, food takeout and food delivery employees
• people who work in food manufacturers including:
  
  • food ingredient facilities
  • aquaculture and seafood harvesting facilities
  • livestock, poultry and seafood slaughter facilities
  • pet and animal feed processing facilities
  • human food facilities that produce byproducts for animal food
  • beverage production facilities
  • food packaging facilities
  • recycling operations and processing facilities
• farmers, farm and ranch workers
• support workers who raise, cultivate, harvest, pack and store agricultural or horticultural commodities for human consumption
• workers in cafeterias used to feed workers
• government, private and NGO workers who are essential for food assistance programs (including school lunch programs) and government payments
• animal agriculture workers including those who are employed in veterinary health or supporting emergency veterinary or livestock services
• food and agriculture-associated port and transportation workers
• at-risk food service and restaurant workers

Where Are These Vaccination Sites?

L.A. County has five MegaPOD sites. They include:

1. Pomona Fairplex — 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. Vaccination site entrance is off Arrow Highway at Gate 15
2. Six Flags Magic Mountain — 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia
3. The Forum — 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood
4. Cal State Northridge — 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge
5. L.A. County Office of Education — 12830 Columbia Way, Downey

Southern California also has several other mass-vaccination sites not run by L.A. County, and these sites have their own rules and scheduling procedures.

The state of California and FEMA run a vaccination site at Cal State Los Angeles. The City of L.A. runs a vaccination site at Dodger Stadium. The City of Long Beach runs a vaccination site at the Long Beach Convention Center and Mayor Robert Garcia announced the city will start vaccinating food workers this week. Orange County runs a regional vaccination site at Disneyland.

In addition, many grocery store chains and other businesses are partnering with government agencies or private organizations to vaccinate employees on site.

What Do I Need To Bring To My Appointment?

If you're a food or agriculture worker, in order to get your first dose of the vaccine, you will need to to bring and show:

1. Photo ID
2. Proof that you live or work in L.A. County such as:
   
   • driver's license
   • California ID card or REAL ID card (from the DMV)
   • library card
   • postmarked letter
   • utility bill
   • vehicle registration or insurance
   • voter registration confirmation
   • rent receipt or lease or letter from landlord
   • school or employment document
   • court document
   • law enforcement document (can be from immigration including deportation)
   • tax, bank or insurance document
   • post office change of address confirmation
   • letter or document from a Faith-based organization, shelter, non-profit institution with the name/address of issuing organization
   • membership card in a union, YMCA, fitness center, community or neighborhood association, apartment building association or a store club card
   • consular ID

3. Proof of employment such as:

• badge with your name and your employer's name
• pay stub
• California Food Handler card
• Certified Food Protection Manager card
• current food business operator permit
• food handler/Manager card with employer attestation (see below)
• copy of work shift schedule with your name
• license (state veterinary medical license, registered veterinary technician, other state food business license)
• letter from your employer stating you work there; must include your name and the name and address of the business
• letter from you stating where you work; must include your name and the name and address of the business
• letter from your union stating where you work; must include your name and the name and address of the business
• letter or attendance sheet from an agency/community-based organization that coordinates day-laborers for work in food and agriculture

For your second dose of the vaccine, you won't need to bring all three of these things. You'll only need to bring your photo ID and your white vaccine record card or electronic vaccine record.

Good luck!