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The COVID-19 vaccine eligibility threshold continues to rise this week. Thursday, all Californians aged 50 and over will qualify. In parts of the state, this group of residents has already been given the green light.
But eligibility does not guarantee immediate access. National and local authorities have been optimistic about the significant increase in vaccine allocations over the coming weeks, but have warned that supply will continue to be limited as competition for vaccines increases by the millions.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who qualifies for a vaccine in California?
About half of the state’s residents are currently eligible. On Thursday, that number will increase exponentially when all residents 50 and over reach eligibility. And two weeks later, on April 15, the vaccine rollout in the state will become a free program for everyone, when residents 16 and older qualify.
Currently, state-directed eligibility includes healthcare workers, adults 65 and older, people with high-risk disabilities and underlying health conditions, educators and educators, food service workers, those working in prisons or homeless shelters, public transportation. workers, emergency service workers and immunization clinic volunteers, among others.
Some local health jurisdictions have already expanded eligibility beyond state guidelines. The counties of Contra Costa, Butte and Stanislaus, for example, have announced that they will lower the age threshold to 16; the city of Long Beach and the counties of San Luis Obispo and Solano lowered it to 50. In some counties, certain health conditions beyond what the state has specified merit eligibility; San Francisco, for example, has anyone with HIV vaccinated, and San Diego has anyone with asthma or type 1 diabetes vaccinated.
How can I get an appointment?
Newly eligible residents may have to wait a bit longer before they can lock an appointment. The state’s My Turn scheduling site allows residents of LA County and elsewhere who are eligible Thursday to start signing up for appointments on Wednesday, although time slots have been scarce.
National or local hotlines might be helpful. The state’s COVID-19 hotline – at (833) 422-4255 – is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. In Los Angeles County, people with disabilities or without access to a computer are encouraged to call (833) 540-0473 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
Here is a list of other methods to try to get a date.
What are the current prospects for the offer?
The state’s vaccine allocation has steadily increased to around 1.8 million doses per week, and with the additional distribution of more Johnson & Johnson vaccines, that estimate will rise.
The supply is expected to increase significantly until May 1 – when President Biden said every adult in the United States would be eligible for a shot. On Monday, Biden said a record 33 million doses would be distributed nationwide this week.
In LA County, officials said Friday they expected to receive around 338,100 doses – the highest weekly allowance yet. However, this will not be enough to immediately welcome all the newly eligible people.
“Even with an increased supply of vaccines, we certainly can’t handle nearly a million people in that first week, given all the other groups that are also currently being vaccinated,” the county science director said on Friday. from LA, Dr. Paul Simon. “But I think over the next few weeks demand will decrease a bit and things will open up, especially as the supply of vaccines continues to increase. And so I urge people to just be patient.
The state has administered approximately 17.6 million doses to date. About 29.3% of residents received at least one dose and 14.3% were fully immunized, according to an analysis by The Times.
Why does eligibility increase before supply can meet demand?
As the coronavirus variants spread throughout California and other states face a new outbreak, officials and health experts have stressed the need to vaccinate the masses quickly.
Los Angeles County Health Services Director Dr Christina Ghaly said last week that predicted transmission in the county had increased slightly. It is too early to say what led to this change, and it is still unclear whether those vaccinated may be asymptomatic carriers of the virus.
Officials and health experts are optimistic that the supply of vaccines will increase. But in the meantime, reports continue to emerge of remaining doses due to reluctance to immunize or barriers to access. Expanding eligibility means that more people are able to get the vaccine when it is available, and when allocations increase, supply will match demand.
Times writer Luke Money contributed to this report.
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