Louisiana may see its largest loading of doses of coronavirus vaccine this week, especially after the Johnson & Johnson single vaccine received emergency clearance over the weekend.
Nearly 98,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are due to arrive this week, said state health officer Dr. Joe Kanter on Thursday.
Kanter said last week that this is the largest allocation of vaccine doses to Louisiana in a single week since the launch in mid-December.
Louisiana’s mass vaccination effort for COVID-19 is getting a proverbial injection in the arm: The state expects its largest dose allocation for …
Another 37,000 to 38,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may also be sent to Louisiana this week.
More than 50 new providers in Louisiana will receive doses of coronavirus vaccines this week.
To receive the vaccine, the person must make an appointment with the provider.
A person who arrives at a place without an appointment will not receive the vaccine.
Vaccines are available for 1.6 million Louisiana residents based on the following criteria, which expanded last week:
- People aged 65 and over
- Dialysis providers and patients
- Outpatient and outpatient providers and staff
- Behavioral health professionals and providers
- Urgent care clinic providers and staff
- Community caregivers and staff
- Dental service providers and staff
- Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) providers and employees
- Professional home care providers (including hospice staff) and home care beneficiaries (including older and younger people with disabilities over 16 receiving community or home care, as well as clients of home health agencies)
- Interpreters and support service providers (SSPs) working in community and clinical settings, and deaf and blind clients
- Health-related support staff (laboratory staff, mortuary staff who have contact with cadavers, pharmacy staff)
- Allied student, resident and health care schools
- State and local COVID essential emergency response personnel
- Some election officials in the March and April elections
- Teachers and any other support staff working on the spot in elementary and high school or day care
- All pregnant people
- Individuals aged 55-64 years with at least one of the conditions listed by the CDC as placing them at an “increased risk of serious illness caused by the virus that causes COVID-19.” People with the following underlying medical conditions are advised to complete the Louisiana COVID-19 Vaccine Attestation Form to receive the vaccine (providers must have it available if individuals are unable to print and fill in advance):
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Down’s syndrome
- Cardiac conditions, including, but not limited to, heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) of solid organ transplantation
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] 30kg / m2 or greater, but less than 40kg / m2)
- Severe obesity (BMI greater than 40kg / m2)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Smoke
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
(List provided by the Louisiana Department of Health)
Team writer Sam Karlin contributed to this report.