Now scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for employees working on campus. Details

UC Davis COVID-19 Vaccine Program

COVID-19 vaccination is an important tool to help end the pandemic

UC Davis is helping administer COVID-19 vaccines in line with state and county guidelines, which recently changed to include all UC Davis employees in the current vaccination phase as "frontline workers in the education industry." 

We are currently accepting appointments for UC Davis employees who are working in person, on campus. The intent behind vaccinating front-line workers is to prioritize those workers required to have the most public exposure. We will expand available appointments as supply allows.
  • UC Davis will open appointments as doses become available. With severely limited supplies, confirming an appointment may take time. 
  • As a reminder, in order to access your vaccine appointment, you must complete the Daily Symptom Survey and have been tested for COVID-19 within the past 7 days. 
  • UPDATED: How do I schedule my vaccination appointment?
  • There are two ways: at the UC Davis vaccine clinic and at one of the Yolo County vaccine clinics. Vaccines at the UC Davis vaccine clinic will be administered by appointment only, to employees who are working in person, on campus.

    Once UC Davis gets access to vaccine doses, employees (including student employees) will be able to schedule their appointment in the Health-e-Messaging portal (the same portal used for testing appointments). Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Appointments will be released as vaccines become available. Only active employees with an employee ID in UCPath are eligible to schedule appointments.   
  • NEW: There are no available appointments in Health-e-Messaging? How do I schedule my shot?
  • There are far more people now eligible for vaccine than there is supply. Appointment slots will open as we have vaccine to deliver. We recommend you also attempt to schedule an appointment through your healthcare provider or county agency to the extent they also recognize the CDPH guidance of February 13.
  • What can I expect when I arrive for my vaccine appointment?
  • Be prepared to show personal identification at the time of your appointment. You will also need to do your part to follow campus safety rules, including passing the daily symptom survey, wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance.

    When you arrive for your appointment, if you haven't completed an electronic consent form, then you'll be asked to review and sign one. Next, you'll move into the room, take a number and then wait to be called. When your number is called, you'll move to the vaccine station and be given your shot. Then you'll be seated for 15-30 minutes and monitored for any adverse reactions, depending on your risk factors. At the end of your wait period, you are allowed to leave. More instructions about scheduling your second dose of the vaccine will be provided at your appointment. After you leave, your seat will be disinfected for the next person. 
  • UPDATED: What are the eligibility requirements for scheduling a vaccine appointment?

  • On February 13, CDPH updated the COVID-19 Allocation Guidelines for Phase 1B to specifically describe and include all staff in colleges, universities, junior colleges, community colleges, and other post-secondary education facilities. On February 16, YCPH issued a press release expanding its vaccine prioritization framework to match what is described in the CDPH guidelines. While vaccine supply shortages remain an ongoing issue, eligibility for the education sector is now universally included in Phase 1b Tier 1. Effective immediately, all UC Davis employees working in person, on campus are eligible to schedule a vaccine appointment.

    Vaccine supply remains a significant problem. The policy shift described above means we have far more persons eligible to receive a shot than we have shots to give. You can look for appointments in our Health-e-Messaging system. Please be patient as appointment time slots will only open as we have vaccine to administer. Please also remember to be current on both your Daily Symptom Survey and COVID-19 Testing prior to your appointment. You will not be let in otherwise.

  • NEW: I work in a facility outside of Davis, am I still eligible? 
  • As a UC Davis employee you are grouped in the Education sector for Phase 1b Tier 1. You are eligible to receive vaccine from our Davis clinic located in the ARC. You should also be eligible to receive vaccine in the county you currently reside as long as that county has recognized the YCPH guidance of February 13 described above.
  • NEW: Are UC Davis students eligible?
  • Under the current guidance, only education industry employees are classified within Phase 1b Tier 1. A good rule of thumb is that if you are receiving a paycheck from UC Davis, you are an employee and therefore included in Phase 1b Tier 1.
  • I'm emeritus and over 65 years of age, am I eligible to get vaccinated?
  • Active emeriti faculty — defined as those who are formally on “recall” status for university-related work, whether teaching, research or service — are eligible to schedule appointments at our vaccine clinic, if they otherwise meet the eligibility requirements. In order to make an appointment for the Davis campus vaccine clinic, you will need to be able to login to our Health-e-Messaging portal, which requires that employees have an active UCPath ID number.
  • I meet the current eligibility requirements. Can my spouse schedule an appointment at the same time?
  • Not at this time. UC Davis currently receives its vaccine supply directly from the California Department of Health, through the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) Office of Emergency Management. As such, our planning is subject to the UCOP distribution plan, which restricts the use of our doses to patients and employees of UC Davis and UC Davis Health.
  • I am not employed by UC Davis, but I think I am otherwise qualified for one of the currently eligible tiers based on my occupation. Can I get vaccinated at the Davis campus clinic?
  • Not at this time. UC Davis vaccine doses allocated for occupational risk categories are restricted to UC Davis employees — including student employees — in their capacity as workers for UC Davis. UC Davis currently receives its vaccine supply directly from the California Department of Health, through the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) Office of Emergency Management. As such, our planning is subject to the UCOP distribution plan, which restricts the use of our doses to patients and employees of UC Davis and UC Davis Health.
  • How much will the COVID-19 vaccine cost?
  • Vaccine doses administered at the UC Davis campus will be free of charge to employees and students.
  • Will UC Davis employees and students be mandated to get a coronavirus vaccine?
  • Employees will be strongly encouraged to get the vaccine but can sign a declination form for any reason including a religious or medical reason. If an employee declines, they must wear personal protective equipment as required by UC Davis to lessen the risk to patients and other health care workers whenever they are on campus.
  • How do vaccines work?
  • Vaccines help our immune system fight infections in the future. COVID-19 vaccines will protect us from the virus that causes COVID-19 without having to get the illness. The COVID-19 vaccines will change nothing in your body, but they will teach your immune system to protect you from the coronavirus.

    It typically takes a few weeks after the second dose in a series to become fully protected. On the days after taking the vaccine, you may have side effects such as a sore arm, aches, fatigue or fever, but these are not harmful. These symptoms signal that your immune system is developing protection against the virus.
  • What are the benefits of getting vaccinated?
  • COVID-19 vaccines are meant to prevent you from getting ill from COVID-19. The ability of COVID-19 vaccines to protect us from spreading the virus to others is not yet known but is being studied carefully. Read more at CDC’s Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine.
  • I’m having symptoms because of the vaccine, should I go to work?
  • Symptoms can develop because of an adverse reaction to the vaccine, but they can also develop because of an infection from the virus. Campus policy and best public health practices require you to stay home when feeling any symptoms. You must answer the Daily Symptom Survey by reporting your symptoms. You may return to work after symptoms resolve from taking the vaccine. For essential healthcare workers, you may return to work earlier if you secure a return to work slip from your primary care physician.
  • Which vaccine will UC Davis be administering?
  • Several companies are working on COVID-19 vaccines that work against the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2. The two FDA-authorized vaccines for use are from Pfizer mRNA vaccine and Moderna mRNA vaccine. UC Davis is prepared to accommodate either vaccine with appropriate storage on campus, and plans to administer whichever vaccine is provided to us at the time. 
  • What can I expect after vaccination?
  • After vaccination, it will be essential for everyone to continue to wear face coverings, maintain physical distance and practice good hand hygiene to help continue to keep our community healthy. There is not enough information currently available to say if or when CDC will stop recommending that people wear masks and avoid close contact with others to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, even after receiving the vaccine.

    Regular testing is a step we should all be taking to keep ourselves, our families and our community healthy, both before and after receiving vaccinations. It is critical that everyone participate in the UC Davis Campus Ready testing program to help quickly identify people who are infected. UC Davis students and employees are eligible for free testing through Campus Ready, and Davis community members and family members of UC Davis employees are eligible for free testing through Healthy Davis Together.