As Los Angeles County officials begin the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, public safety officials are providing residents with tips on how to avoid potential scams.

On Sunday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department posted a list of tips to help residents avoid scams associated with the COVID-19 vaccine.

“As the COVID-19 virus vaccines begins distributing to Los Angeles County residents, here are a few important things to remember so you do not become a victim of a potential scam,” the post reads.

• Residents will not be contacted personally to get a vaccine. Information about how to get the vaccine will be posted on the Los Angeles County Public’s Health COVID-19 website here once it becomes available to the public.
• If a resident is offered the vaccine at a low cost, or for a “special deal”, they are urged not to take it. The vaccine will be offered at no cost to every resident in Los Angeles County, regardless of their immigration status.

Residents with any questions can speak to their personal care physician, call 2-1-1, or visit the 211 website here

Locally, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is currently serving a COVID-19 vaccine clinic, and Six Flags Magic Mountain is set to serve as one of five “large-scale” vaccination sites opening across Los Angeles County Tuesday.

See Related: Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Opens COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic

“In L.A. County, we have to vaccinate 10 million people, twice,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn in a statement issued Friday. “These large-scale vaccination sites are going to help us get there by massively increasing our capacity to vaccinate people quickly and efficiently.”

Currently, only prioritized groups such as frontline healthcare workers, residents and staff in nursing facilities, and other long-term care facilities are eligible for vaccination, as identified by the state and the Centers for Disease Control.

“By vaccinating those at the highest risk as soon as possible, we have an opportunity to stabilize our healthcare system, prevent people from being hospitalized from COVID-19, and most importantly, save lives,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, in a statement Friday.

L.A. County is currently distributing vaccines based on a tier system, with the vaccine open to those in Phase 1A, which includes high-risk healthcare workers. To find out if you are eligible for a vaccine at this time, click here.

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