On the one-year anniversary of its first confirmed COVID-19 case, Louisiana is expanding the eligibility of the coronavirus vaccine to anyone aged 16 and over who has between two dozen high-risk medical conditions, Governor John announced today Bel Edwards.
The broader eligibility of the vaccine brings hundreds of thousands of additional people to the access list – starting immediately.
The Democratic Governor’s decision adds anyone aged 16 to 54 who has hypertension, asthma, cancer, diabetes, sickle cell disease, chronic kidney or liver disease, chronic lung disease, Down syndrome, heart problems, weakened immune system or several other illnesses preexisting. Smokers and overweight people can also get vaccinated. In addition, people working in shelters for the homeless, prisons and collective houses now have access.
Those aged 16 or 17 will only have access to the Pfizer vaccine because it is currently the only vaccine available in the U.S. authorized for people of that age.
The expansion of eligibility occurs at a time when states are receiving larger shipments of the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and a third single dose from Johnson & Johnson has been added to the mix.
“We arrived at this decision after hearing from our suppliers over the weekend that there is a small gap in consultations and that they were able to accommodate – and are ready to accommodate – more people,” says Edwards. “We also had a very stable stock” of doses.
About 17% of the state’s total population received at least the first dose of the available two-dose vaccine regimens, according to data from the state health department. Nearly 449,000 people have been fully immunized, according to the state health department. Read the full story. Read the full story.