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SFDPH Fall Vaccination Campaign

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Mark Tenforde MD, PhD

Medical Director, Immunization Program and AITC Immunization & Travel Clinic

San Francisco Department of Public Health

October 8, 2026

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Slide 1

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Agenda

  • Introduction
  • Fall vaccine: what are the recommendations this year?
  • Our mission at SFDPH for the fall vaccine season
  • Focus on community engagement
  • Resources for community groups

Slide 2

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Communicable Disease (CD) Branch and Partners �Work Together to Fight COVID-19 and Influenza

Communicable Disease Branch

Immunization Program Coordinates vaccine strategy and distributes vaccine to clinics and other partners

AITC Immunization & Travel Clinic

Provides free influenza and COVID-19 vaccine appointments to people without health insurance

Communicable Disease Program

Receives notification of flu/COVID-19 outbreaks and conducts surveillance

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Influenza and COVID-19 Cause a Lot of Illnesses and Deaths

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San Francisco Respiratory Virus Test Positivity

●COVID-19: Low and decreasing

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▲Influenza: High and increasing

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■ RSV: Very low and stable

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We Follow California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Vaccine Recommendations

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  • Sept 2025: Assembly Bill 144 (AB 144) signed into law, shifting authority for state vaccine coverage from federal committees to CDPH
  • CDPH has set state evidence-based immunization recommendations informed by trusted medical organizations including American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for children, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for adults​, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for pregnant people
  • Insurance mandate to cover vaccines​
  • Legal liability protections for medical providers / pharmacists​

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Who is Recommended to Receive �Influenza & COVID-19 Vaccines?

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Consensus WCHA 2026-27 Respiratory Virus Season Immunization Recommendations

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There Is a Lot of Confusion!

COVID-19

20% (1 in 5) reported not knowing whether COVID-19 vaccines were recommended for someone like them

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Why Get Vaccinated Against Flu and COVID-19

  • Protect yourself from severe illness
    • If you get infected after vaccination, less likely to experience severe illness
  • Protect your loved ones and vulnerable
  • Don’t miss out on important life events
  • Peace of mind

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What is Our Mission at SFDPH?

  • Sustain influenza and COVID-19 vaccination in San Francisco –focus on under-served/vulnerable populations
  • Reach these populations through working with safety-net providers (we “help the helpers”)

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Vaccine Distribution

Community Engagement & Comms

Direct Vaccination

Healthcare Provider Engagement

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SFDPH Distributes Free State Influenza Vaccines� Across the City (>18,500 Doses This Year)

SFHN and Consortium Clinic Neighborhoods

    • Tenderloin
    • Mission
    • SOMA
    • Western Addition
    • Chinatown
    • Bayview
    • Visitacion Valley
    • Lakeview/OMI

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2026 SFDPH/Immunization Program Activities

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    • Small RCFEs
    • Homebound patients
    • AITC for uninsured
    • Education talks to healthcare providers
    • Health advisories
    • Trainings, resources
    • Engagement with health systems, SNFs, RCFEs
    • General and language-specific public messaging
    • Presentations and outreach to CBO partners & the populations they serve
    • FQHCs in SF Community Clinic Consortium
    • SFHN primary & ambulatory care
    • CBOs partnered w/ vaccinators (e.g., LTF, Glide)

Vaccine Distribution

Community Engagement & Comms

Direct Vaccination

Healthcare Provider Engagement

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2026 Direct Vaccination

  • Vaccination clinics at small RCFEs (< 50 residents)
    • Via email, schedule RCFEs who respond for influenza / COVID-19 vaccination hosted at facility
  • Provide vaccinations for unserved homebound adults
    • Advertise homebound vaccination on sf.gov/vax page, including phone number to schedule appointment (628-217-6100)
  • Increase utilization of health department vaccine clinic (AITC)
    • Appointments for free influenza / COVID-19 vaccination for uninsured San Franciscans aged ≥4 years
    • One-page flyer to promote service

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2026 Community Engagement and Communications

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  • Promote awareness of fall vaccine guidance
    • Press release, health alert, language-specific media, “Hear from a Doctor” series online
  • Promote vaccine access for insured AND uninsured
    • Retail pharmacy guide
    • Sf.gov/vax - fall vaccine guidance, including locations on where to get influenza / COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured adults
    • Including AITC for uninsured
  • Engage with CBOs / FBOs
    • Influenza / COVID-19 talks to promote vaccination, troubleshoot, and answer questions

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Pharmacy Guide for On-site Vaccination

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AITC Flyer

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Translated across threshold languages

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Where Can Uninsured People Get �Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccines? (sf.gov/vax)

  • AITC
    • 27 Van Ness Ave
    • www.sf.gov/aitc  for appointments
  • LTF events
  • SF Free Clinic
  • UCSF Glide/Roving
  • Other clinics/pharmacies we partner with to increase access points for COVID-19 vaccines
    • Solano Pharmacy, Golden Gate Pharmacy, St. Anthony Medical Clinic

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*www.sf.gov/vax will always have the most-up-to-date information!* 

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Slide 18

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Resources – Please Share!

CDPH FAQS

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CDPH Social Media

  • Toolkit for social media

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Summary

  • Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines available and recommended, especially for high-risk individuals, and resources are available for both insured and uninsured

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  • Both viruses are circulation – now is a perfect time to get vaccinated

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  • As trusted messengers and leaders, we appreciate your support encouraging vaccination, amplifying messaging, and sharing resources

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Thank you! Questions?

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Immunization Program: immunization.dph@sfdph.org

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My Contact Information: mark.tenforde@sfdph.org

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Website: sf.gov/vax

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