I am at high risk for COVID-19 and eligible for a vaccine starting on Monday. What do I need to know? – East Bay Times

On Monday, Californians between the ages of 16 and 64 with underlying diseases can receive the coronavirus vaccine, adding 4.4 million people to the list of eligible people. It is a particularly vulnerable population, at any age, to suffer the worst from the disease, officials said.

But it will also be “challenging,” officials said, citing a liberal screening process designed to balance the need to check a person’s condition with the urgency to vaccinate as many as possible.

The authorities warn that just because eligibility starts on Monday, it does not mean that you will have a chance right away. While supplies are increasing at hundreds of clinics, pharmacies, mobile sites and capsules, they remain in limited supply.

Remember, vaccines are still being given to millions of health professionals, the elderly, frontline staff and teachers, who have priority in the early stages of implementation.

In Los Angeles County alone, for example, 2 million people with underlying diseases will be eligible next week, officials said on Friday.

The simple demand raised concerns about the extent to which people would be properly tracked and whether people would jump off the line under the guise of having a medical condition.

For those who received a vaccine under this qualification, county officials said they were encouraging documentation of a condition, but it was not required. Instead, the minimum limit was for the resident to certify that he was at high risk or had a disability that put him at risk.

“We certainly hope people don’t try to take advantage of the situation,” said Dr. Paul Simon, director of science for the LA Department of Public Health. “We don’t think it’s realistic for our team on community sites to screen people. We do not have the medical expertise or knowledge of the person’s medical history to make this determination. That’s why we are really encouraging people to look for their provider. “

In essence, employees are relying on people’s honesty to make it work.

“The reasoning behind self-certification is that, as you can imagine, it will be really difficult to prove or verify individuals with certain types of comorbidities,” said Margaret Bredehoft, deputy director of public health services at the Orange County Health Care Agency.

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You can’t say someone has diabetes looking at them, and doctors’ orders and prescriptions come in all kinds of formats, she said, noting that there are also privacy concerns when asking people to share their medical records.

Some county locations will continue to check identity documents to verify a person’s age, residence or place of work and whether they have an appointment.

Counting on people’s honesty could allow some to jump the limits, and “that would be my concern,” said Orange County Regional Center executive director Larry Landauer. The center coordinates services for CO residents with developmental disabilities.

“There are people who absolutely need priority and should get something from their doctor.”

Landauer said that his and other regional centers are working to get a letter approved by the state’s Department of Public Health that they can distribute to customers showing that they are eligible for vaccination in the phase that opens Monday.

Who is eligible?

Persons aged 16 to 64 are eligible if they have one of the following conditions:

• • Cancer, current with weakened immune system;
  • Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or higher;
  • Oxygen-dependent chronic lung disease;
  • Down’s syndrome;
  • Solid organ transplantation, leading to a weakened immune system;
  • Pregnancy;
  • Sickle cell anemia;
  • Cardiac conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension);
  • Severe obesity (where the body mass index is greater than or equal to 40 kg / m2). Check with your doctor if you qualify or try this CDC converter; or
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%.

State criteria also state that a person may be eligible as a result of a development or other “significant high-risk disability”, one or more of the following criteria apply:

• A COVID-19 infection can result in serious life-threatening illness or death; or
• The acquisition of COVID-19 will limit an individual’s ability to receive ongoing care or services vital to their well-being and survival; or
• Providing adequate and timely COVID care will be particularly challenging as a result of the individual’s disability.

State officials say that this group would include all registered users of regional centers, independent living centers; home support services; community services for adults and health centers for adults; Medi-Cal’s HIV / AIDS exemption; Medi-Cal’s community-based and home-based alternative exemption programs; Medi-Cal Assisted Living exemption programs; all-inclusive care programs for the elderly; California Children’s Services Program (if the child is between 16 and 21 years old); and the California Disabled Persons Program.

Do I need to show documentation of my condition when I arrive at my vaccination appointment?

No. Under state guidance, confidentiality is protected, so there is no documentation required for a diagnosis or type of disability. But, under the guidance of the state, expect to be asked to sign a “self-attestation” that you meet the criteria.

Riverside County spokeswoman Brooke Federico said adults who show up for a vaccine appointment next week will see a screening sheet with a list of various illnesses and will be asked whether they fall into one of those categories.

“If the resident responds in the affirmative, he will be vaccinated,” she said by email. “No doctor’s note or copy of medical records is needed.”

Residents must make sure they are eligible before scheduling an appointment, Federico added.

“It is possible for appointments to be answered quickly,” she said, adding that more appointments are opened each week as the county receives more doses of vaccine.

How do you get a vaccine if you are in this high-risk group?

County public health officials recommend checking with your health care provider first. Although supplies are limited, some health systems and their affiliated clinics are vaccinating – and they may have consultations available.

For example, in San Bernardino County, authorities asked residents to first ask health professionals about vaccines, county spokesman David Wert said by email.

If you don’t have a provider, or if your provider doesn’t offer vaccines, you can make an appointment through the county’s vaccination website or hotline, said Wert.

“If they make an appointment at a public vaccination clinic or pharmacy, we ask that they bring a form to verify their high-risk or disability medical condition, which mirrors the state’s guidance,” added Wert.

Don’t be surprised if your ISP gets in touch with you first.

For example, Kaiser Permanente’s offer continues to increase.

“We will use this increase in supply to significantly increase the number of our members that we can vaccinate,” according to a statement from the giant provider. “Kaiser Permanente has already started to contact our newly qualified members with the underlying conditions, starting with those at greatest risk.”

In addition to a health care provider, here’s how to get an appointment if you are recently eligible:

• Online on the state’s MyTurn system, www.myturn.ca.gov. You can access the site in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Japanese.
• If you do not have access to the Internet, you can use the state COVID hotline at 1-833-4CA-4ALL (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8 pm, Saturday to Sunday, 8 am to 5 pm).
• Make an appointment with your local health department. Not all health departments are connected to the state’s MyTurn website for these consultations.
• Throughout March, emerging clinics are emerging in all communities, and are targeted at areas particularly affected by the virus. Check with your local city for more details.

Can I get the vaccine at home if I can’t get to the vaccine site?

Counties across California are expanding ways to get the vaccine to neighborhoods where it is most needed. Mobile unit teams are expanding. For options, state authorities recommend checking with your health care provider, local public health department, or local pharmacy.

How do I get transport to the vaccine site?