LOS ANGELES (AP) – Before California launches its coronavirus vaccine program for all adults on April 15, there will be a two-week window when millions of people aged 50 to 64 will be able to get their vaccines.
The launch for this age group, which became eligible on Thursday, generated an increase in nomination requests and raised concerns about whether two weeks are enough to reach everyone when there is uncertainty about supply levels, as well as lingering questions about accessibility.
The California Department of Finance, which monitors population data, projects that there are 7.2 million people in the state between the ages of 50 and 64. Currently, only about 23% of Californians in this age group have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the state, compared with 37% of people aged 18 to 49, probably due to occupation or because they have qualifying health conditions.
“The two-week period is worrying, given the challenges that remain with the supply and access to technology,” Rafi Nazarians, associate director of state at AARP, told the Los Angeles Times. “We will continue to insist on prioritizing these more than 50 Californians … just to ensure that those most at risk can get vaccines.”
Dr. Paul Simon, director of science for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, estimated that somewhere between 800,000 and 1 million additional people in the county would become eligible as of April 1.
“There will probably be a race. I want to make sure that the public recognizes that there can be challenges to getting an appointment immediately, ”he said during a press conference on Friday. “This, again, reflects the limited supply of vaccine.
California, which initially took a long time to launch vaccines but has increased vaccines in recent weeks, expects to receive 2.5 million doses a week in the first half of the month and more than 3 million a week in the second, a big jump from about 1.8 million doses per week today.
The increased supply will help accommodate the huge increase in people, but Simon said it will take time for the county to overcome its already long vaccination line and accommodate those who will soon become eligible.
“Even with an increase in vaccine supply, we certainly can’t handle about a million people in the first week, given all the other groups that are also being vaccinated,” he said. “But I hope that in the coming weeks, demand will decrease slightly and things will open up, especially as the supply of this vaccine continues to increase. For this reason, I urge people to be patient ”.
Nazarians said many people over the age of 50 face mobility problems, language barriers and technology that can prevent them from making an appointment and going to a vaccination clinic. He said he will ask state officials to ensure that they reach older adults, especially people who are not online or who are not at home.
Meanwhile, access to get an appointment has been a constant challenge, as more people compete for available places.
“I think it will be several weeks before I can find an appointment,” said Jeanette Ziolkowski, 63, of Los Angeles, adding that she does not believe there will be enough time for her cohort to be vaccinated before everyone becomes eligible in April.
“Sixty-five years or more have been open since January, and I believe it is still a struggle for many in this group,” she said.