COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Vaccines are crucial tools in the fight against deadly infectious diseases. When the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to you, we strongly encourage that you receive it.
Vaccine Rollout at Keck Medicine of USC
Keck Medicine is working diligently to coordinate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to our patients, in adherence with supply availability and guidelines from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH), California Department of Public Health (CADPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccine supply remains limited — we ask for your patience as we work with county and state officials to secure supply and ensure everyone who is eligible can be vaccinated as soon as possible.
As of April 15, those eligible for vaccination include:
- People 16 or older
- People ages 16 to 64 who work in health care, education and childcare, emergency services or food and agriculture
- People 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions, as outlined by the CADPH
You will be asked to provide proof of age or other eligibility. For employment-based eligibility status, please bring proof of employment, such as an ID badge or pay stub.
For the week of April 12, we have availability of appointments for the first dose of the Pfizer vaccination. We welcome you to sign up your family and friends for a vaccine appointment at Keck Medicine. Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. You must have an appointment to receive a vaccination.
To reduce crowding on the day of your appointment, please arrive no more than 30 minutes prior to your appointment time. If you arrive more than 30 minutes before your appointment time, you will be asked to wait in your vehicle.
Ways to Check Your Vaccine Eligibility and Schedule an Appointment
1. You can find out if you are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and book your appointment via California’s statewide system, My Turn.
2. The city of Los Angeles is also scheduling vaccine appointments at a variety of locations, including at the Flower Street location on the University of Southern California campus.Phased Distribution
Keck Medicine is following guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH), California Department of Public Health (CADPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for phased distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Green circles indicate groups that have been and/or are eligible to get the vaccine
Red squares indicate groups that are currently not eligible to get the vaccine
Phase 1a
- Health care workers
Skilled nursing facility health care workers and residents
EMTs and paramedics
Long-term care facility health care workers and residents
Special needs group living health care staff
Dialysis and infusion centers
Laboratory workers
Dental and oral health clinic health care workers
Pharmacy staff
COVID-19 testing staff
Phase 1b
People 65 years of age and older
Education and childcare
Emergency services
Food and agriculture
- People 16-64 years of age with high-risk medical conditions, such as:
Individuals 50+
we are here
- People 50 years of age and older
Individuals 16+
- People 16 years of age and older
COVID-19 Vaccine Locations
Keck Medicine currently offers COVID-19 vaccinations at two locations.
Vaccinations are available by appointment only.
Norris Healthcare Center (HC3)
1516 San Pablo St.
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Click here for a map of this location.
Soto Street Clinic
2001 N. Soto St.
Los Angeles, CA 90032
Click here for a map of this location.
Frequently Asked Questions
In clinical trials for vaccines produced by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna, participants did not experience any life-threatening events that were attributed to the vaccine. Keck Medicine will continue to monitor data as it becomes available.
Viruses constantly change through mutation, and multiple COVID-19 mutations are circulating around the world. New variants, such as those recently identified in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa, appear to spread more easily. Scientists are working to learn more about whether these mutations are changing the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Those allergic to specific ingredients in the vaccines (most notably polyethylene glycol)
- Those who have had acute COVID-19 infection in the last 90 days
- Those who received monoclonal antibody for COVID-19 in the last 90 days
- Those who have received any other vaccination in the last 14 days
People who have had past anaphylactic reactions to vaccines or injection medications should talk with their primary care physician before receiving the vaccination. If they choose to receive it, they will be monitored for 30 minutes after receipt.
Keck Medicine is following recommendations from both the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines are being rolled out in phases, beginning with groups of people who are at higher risk for COVID-19.
Currently, Keck Medicine is vaccinating health care workers and we have begun inviting our most vulnerable patients 65 or older to be vaccinated in a very restricted phased approach.
Because vaccine supply remains limited — we ask for your patience as we work with county and state officials to secure supply and ensure everyone who is eligible can be vaccinated as soon as possible. To help us coordinate vaccine distribution, we recommend that our patients enroll in our myUSCchart patient portal.
If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC recommends that you should not get that vaccine. You can find the ingredients and more information on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.
If you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapies, ask your doctor if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. Your doctor will help you decide if it is safe for you to get vaccinated.
People with a history of severe allergic reactions not related to vaccines or injectable medications — such as allergies to food, pets, venom, environments or latex — may still get vaccinated.
People with a history of allergies to oral medications or a family history of severe allergic reactions, or who might have a milder allergy to vaccines (without anaphylaxis) — may also still get vaccinated.
At this time, we do not have data about children and this vaccine. Some of the vaccines are currently running trials for children, but we do not have the results of that data yet.
To read the full statement from the CDC and FDA about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, click here.
To read the full statement from the CDC and FDA about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, click here.
Yes, people should still wear masks, even after receiving the vaccine. Until we learn more about the protection COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue wearing a mask, washing hands often and staying at least 6 feet away from others.
According to the CDC, mRNA vaccines, such as those produced by Pfizer and Moderna, are unlikely to pose a risk to people who are pregnant or to a breastfeeding infant. mRNA vaccines do not contain the live virus that causes COVID-19 and do not interact with genetic material DNA. Pregnant people are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. If you have concerns, talk to your primary care doctor to weigh the risks and benefits of the vaccine versus COVID-19 infection.
Current evidence shows that people whose immune systems are compromised may be more at risk for severe COVID-19. The most recent COVID-19 vaccine guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that people who are immunocompromised may receive the vaccine if they do not have any contraindications to vaccination. People who are immunocompromised should speak to their doctor about the risks and benefits of vaccination, including the potential for a decreased response to the vaccine.
While the most recent COVID-19 vaccine guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do not directly address people with cancer, they state that people who are immunocompromised (such as people undergoing cancer treatment) may receive the vaccine if they do not have any contraindications to vaccination. If you are receiving cancer treatment, you should review the risks and benefits of vaccination — including the potential for a decreased response to the COVID-19 vaccine — with your doctor.
Transplant recipients are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Talk to your primary care doctor or specialist to weigh the risks and benefits of the vaccine versus COVID-19 infection.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require a cold-chain distribution system to transport and store them. Keck Medicine has developed these systems, including securing 6 specialty freezers for this purpose.