Los Angeles County will prioritize second doses of the vaccine next week amid supply shortages

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. (KABC) – There is more capacity in Los Angeles County’s five super vaccination sites than vaccines available. Starting Tuesday, the county will shift its priorities from vaccinating the first dose to people who need a second dose.

The move is being made for people who have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and need the second after 21 days, said Manuel Martinez of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The state is struggling to acquire more doses to inoculate Californians who want one. For the time being, frontline healthcare professionals, those living in nursing homes and anyone over 65 years of age are eligible.

Mel Valladares managed to get her parents to have their first injection of the vaccine on the Cal State Northridge website after making an appointment online.

“We had some problems with the first website, but the second website, My Turn, is very good. They like the service, it’s quick and easy. You pass, wait 15 minutes and that’s it,” he said.

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In eastern LA, people waited in line on Saturday in front of the Monseñor Oscar A. Romero Clinic, which received 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine. An impressive 40% of patients at the clinic tested positive for COVID-19, compared to the county’s 16.5% positivity rate.

“Many undocumented, many essential workers come to Clínica Romero and they are the ones who are dying,” said Carlos Vaquerano of the clinic.

Despite the impending shortage of vaccines, local and state health officials are hopeful that the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine will receive emergency FDA authorization. If that happens, it can help boost distribution and speed up the vaccination process.

For now, those who have already taken the first doses of the vaccine begin to plan for a better future.

“I hope to meet my friends that I haven’t seen in a year, and maybe if that means just wearing masks and being (physically) distant, but at least maybe now we will feel a little safer seeing each other face to face, although everyone know that we still have to be careful, “said Candy Miyamura, who also received his chance at CSUN.

Once vaccines are fully available, super sites like Northridge’s will be able to vaccinate up to 4,000 a day.

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