More people are becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but the shortage is expected to keep supplies tight in the coming weeks.
These restrictions have hampered the vaccine’s launch in California and across the country since the first vaccines were made available in December, but officials expressed optimism that the arrival of a third viable Johnson & Johnson offer would speed up the process.
While this is expected to be the case, officials said these shots would remain in short supply in the short term because of production delays.
Governor Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday that “in the immediate term” the state does not expect to receive additional doses of this particular vaccine – which health officials hailed as a potential pandemic game changer, as it requires only one dose and does not need to be shipped and stored at freezing temperatures.
The next few weeks, he added, will remain “a restricted environment in terms of access to vaccines”.
These limitations, while always undesirable, are arriving at an inopportune moment, as significantly more Californians will soon be able to take their place in the vaccine line.
Who is now eligible for vaccination?
The state’s eligibility list has already been expanded to include custodians and custodians; public transport workers; airport ground crew workers; social workers who deal with cases of violence, abuse or neglect; and foster parents providing emergency housing for young people, according to Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
LA County is coordinating with unions and employers to establish vaccination locations and to schedule times for these new eligible groups.
Vaccine appointments for custodians and caretakers may be available at two major county-administered vaccination sites as early as Saturday and Sunday at the Forum in Inglewood and at the LA County Education Office in Downey on Saturday.
The addition of these sectors of work further expands the range of people who can be vaccinated, which already includes those aged 65 and over, as well as essential workers in food and agriculture, education and daycare, health and emergency services.
Who is next?
California’s eligibility list is expected to expand further on Monday to include those with qualified health conditions, such as:
- Cancer, with a current weakened immune system
- Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or higher
- Chronic, oxygen-dependent lung disease
- Down’s syndrome
- Solid organ transplantation, leading to a weakened immune system
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell anemia
- Heart problems, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension)
- Severe obesity with a BMI over 40
- Type 2 diabetes with an A1C level greater than 7.5%
- A deficiency that makes serious COVID-19 disease likely or that would limit a person’s ability to receive vital care for the disease or make treatment for COVID-19 particularly challenging.
The state is still finalizing the list of medical conditions that will qualify people under the age of 65 for the COVID-19 vaccine, Ferrer said.
But she expects hundreds of thousands of others in LA County to become eligible.
“Our numbers are likely to drop somewhat with the amount of doses we receive, but we will have many more people who will be eligible on Monday,” said Ferrer. “So, again, I feel bad always asking everyone to be a little patient, because even if it is your turn, it will still be difficult to get appointments.”
How should they proceed?
Ferrer suggested that people with underlying illnesses contact their health care professionals to ask about how to get the vaccine.
“The easiest way for you to get vaccinated,” she said, “is to go to your provider, or if your provider has an agreement with a network, to get vaccinated.”
In a statement, the county added: “Service providers and health facilities are working to use their health record systems to identify patients who have these conditions and to contact them so they can be vaccinated.”