Monday, March 22, 2021
Thanks to an increase in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Contra Costa County today is extending the vaccine’s eligibility to anyone 50 and older who lives or works in the county, regardless of whether they have an underlying health condition.
The move comes as the county begins to receive additional vaccine from the federal government for its federally qualified health centers. This federal allocation is added to the vaccine that the county receives from the state each week.
A week ago, Contra Costa expanded eligibility to ages 16-64 and older with underlying qualifying health conditions. Today’s announcement removes any health-related qualifications for those between the ages of 50-64.
“We are looking forward to the next few months, when we will be able to eliminate the vaccine’s eligibility, when anyone and everyone is eligible,” said Diane Burgis, Chairman of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “More and more doses of vaccine are arriving in the county each week and we expect this trend to continue.”
To date, more than 336,000 county residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 96% of people aged 75 and over. The county will further expand eligibility for others when vaccine supplies increase further.
“COVID does not affect everyone in the same way,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, a county health officer. “Older people are more likely to suffer from serious illnesses. Almost all COVID deaths in Contra Costa occurred among people over 50 years of age. We are making good progress in vaccinating people in groups that are already eligible and now we will continue to prioritize more. most vulnerable groups in our community. ”
More than 235,000 county residents are between 50-64 years old.
“We are fortunate to have three highly effective vaccines now,” said Dr. Farnitano. “All health officials in the bay area strongly recommend taking any vaccine you can to protect yourself, your loved ones and our community.”
Qualified residents can request a vaccination appointment through the county by filling out an online form or calling 833-829-2626.
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