Nevada health officials on Wednesday did not say whether they are considering Clark County’s call to reduce the vaccine’s eligibility age to 55 years.
Instead, they urged the public to ensure that people aged 65 to 69 knew that they were eligible for immunization and how they could schedule an appointment.
“We need your help to communicate to Nevadans that they are currently eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination,” said COVID-19 director of state response, Caleb Cage. “Please help a friend and neighbor or parents or loved one to connect to the vaccine in your area.”
Thousands of vaccine appointments in Clark County are becoming empty, said Southern Nevada Health District health director Dr. Fermin Leguen this week.
On Wednesday, the health district posted a reminder that essential workers eligible for vaccination were expanded to transport workers, grocery workers and retail workers. Essential worker groups include anyone aged 16 or over.
The health district has asked state officials to lower the minimum age of eligibility for the vaccine for the general public from 65 to 55. This would add about 270,000 county residents, according to 2019 Census Bureau estimates.
The Nevada vaccination manual does not have a predefined eligibility group for people aged 55 to 64. Instead, the next group of the general public would be Nevadans aged between 16 and 64, with underlying illnesses, disabilities or homelessness.
Cage said on Wednesday that the state is in contact with Clark County officials, but does not yet have enough information to take any action.
“The biggest challenge was and will continue to be, I think, managing all the complexities within a very complex process,” he said.
He suggested that the state was exploring ways to help counties spread the word about vaccine eligibility and keep vaccination sites open longer.
“We look forward to providing everyone with an update on the concrete solutions that have been agreed upon,” he said.
Leguen could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
The Nevada vaccination manual predicts that 70 to 80 percent of an eligibility group will be vaccinated, said Cage. About 63 percent of people aged 65 and over are immunized.
The authorities asked the public to visit NVcovidfighter.org to find information about the vaccine’s eligibility and register for a consultation. Appointments can also be made by phone, calling 800-401-0946 between 8 am and 8 pm any day of the week.
Contact Michael Scott Davidson at [email protected] or 702-477-3861. follow @davidsonlvrj on twitter. Contact Mary Hynes at [email protected] or 702-383-0336. follow @ MaryHynes1 on twitter.