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Californians 65 and older are now allowed to get the coronavirus vaccine.
It’s a major expansion of who can get the vaccine, but remains an open question as to whether anyone who wants the vaccine can get it. Especially right away.
This is what we know:
Q: What do the changes mean?
Until now, vaccines have mainly been restricted to frontline healthcare workers, employees and residents of long-term care facilities. But now people 65 and over can also get the vaccine.
The move comes a day after the release of federal guidelines that require anyone 65 years of age and over to qualify for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.
California said it was implementing a notification system that would let people know when they would be eligible for the vaccine.
Q: How is California speeding up vaccine delivery?
California officials have so far struggled to distribute its allocation of vaccine doses. As of Monday, California had received more than 2.4 million doses of the vaccine, but less than a third had been administered. There has been lower than expected demand from healthcare workers and nursing homes with the highest priority to receive the vaccines, with up to 40% refusal of the initial opportunity to get it. vaccinate.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged to improve the deployment, including distributing 1 million vaccines by the end of this week.
City of Los Angeles Converts Huge Coronavirus Testing Site to Dodger Stadium at a vaccine distribution center this week, officials expecting to vaccinate up to 12,000 people per day when the site is fully operational. County officials also plan to end testing at the Veterans Affairs Lot 15 site near Jackie Robinson Stadium in western Los Angeles to transfer personnel, equipment and other resources to the vaccine distribution. The authorities also plan to launch additional sites to immunize 500,000 health workers by the end of the month.
In Orange County, Disneyland will be one of five major “distribution point” sites that collectively would be able to immunize thousands of residents every day.
Vaccines are also available at some retail pharmacies and doctor’s offices.
Q: Will there be enough?
Probably not at first as supplies are still limited and some vaccination sites are still developing.
Each state health department operates differently. Current instructions for verifying eligibility and registering for registration vary from county to county. Eligible individuals are encouraged to contact their medical providers and visit their county’s public health department website for vaccine information. It may take a little while for counties to update their websites with the new state eligibility rules.
Officials stress that everyone should see their doctor or health care professional before getting vaccinated.
Q: Is there a cost?
COVID-19 vaccines are free, according to the California Department of Public Health. LA County officials added, “Your doctor or pharmacy may charge a fee for administering the vaccine, but this should be covered by public and private insurance companies. People without health insurance can be vaccinated against COVID-19 at no cost. There are no direct payments. “
Q: What should you watch out for?
Officials say the vaccine is safe. But they urge to be on the lookout for scams.
Here are some red flag warnings issued by LA County:
• Someone suggests that you go to a previous group to get the vaccine for a fee.
• Someone is trying to sell you a place on a waiting list for a COVID vaccine. There is no “waiting list for vaccines”.
• Someone on the street, online, on social media, or knocking on your door is trying to sell you a vaccine.
• You receive calls, texts or emails about the vaccine. The caller asks for your personal or financial information. This could be your social security number, bank account, or credit card. Never share these numbers or other personal information with an unknown caller or in a text or email.
• You see advertisements for fake vaccines or “miracle cures” that use vitamins or other dietary supplements. Scammers promote it even though they have not been proven successful. The FDA has issued warning letters to numerous companies for the sale of products claiming to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19.
Source County of LA
Q: Who will be next on the vaccine list?
Some of those who would be at the top of the line include, in phases as indicated by the State:
Phase 1B
- People at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors: education, childcare, emergency services, food and agriculture
- People at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors: transport and logistics; industrial, commercial, residential and accommodation facilities and services; critical manufacturing
- Gathering places at risk of epidemics: incarcerated and homeless people
Phase 1C
- People aged 50 to 64
- People aged 16 to 49 who have an underlying health condition or disability that increases their risk of severe COVID-19
- People at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors: water and wastewater; defense; energy; chemical and hazardous materials; communications and computing; financial services; government operations / community core functions
Source: California Department of Public Health
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