More than half of Louisiana’s adult population will soon qualify for the coronavirus vaccine, after state leaders have increased eligibility for overweight and obese adults.
Governor John Bel Edwards announced that the changes that took effect on Tuesday include people with a wide range of chronic health problems that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19, including overweight or obesity.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index, or BMI, of more than 30 and is calculated using a person’s body weight in relation to their height, while taking into account gender. A person who is overweight has a BMI between 25 and less than 30.
For example, a man who measures 1.70 meters and weighs about 191 pounds would have a BMI of about 30. A person of the same height who weighed about 160 to 190 pounds would be considered overweight.
This CDC calculator can help you understand your BMI.
Louisiana has one of the highest obesity rates in the county. Approximately 36% of adults in Louisiana are obese and a similar percentage of adults are overweight, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Being overweight increases your risk of severe COVID-19, medical experts said. These people are also at a greater risk of developing other chronic health conditions associated with worsening disease outcomes, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and kidney problems.
People over 55 years of age who were overweight became eligible for the vaccine last month, and the new guidelines would give access to people as young as 16 – in some cases – access to vaccines.
The vaccine manufactured by Pfizer is the only injection approved for people aged 16 and over.
More than 1.6 million people in Louisiana received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest data from the state Department of Health.
Governor John Bel Edwards said on Tuesday that people aged 16 and over with certain health conditions are now eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine, …