(Owen Humphreys / PA via AP)
PHOENIX – Maricopa County health officials announced on Thursday that the county would not reduce the age of eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine from 75 to 65 in its county-administered locations, despite new recommendations from the Department of Health Services from Arizona.
Arizona’s largest county has decided to keep current requirements in place because it does not yet have enough vaccine to open it for people 65 to 74 years of age.
“We know that ADHS has announced that it is opening up to those aged 65 and over, however, Maricopa County is dedicated to its current mission to serve those in phases 1A and prioritized 1B,” said Maricopa County Medical Director. , Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, at a press conference.
“Until we can move forward on this mission, we will not be able to open up and expand to other groups until the vaccine is released.”
On Wednesday, ADHS announced it would reduce the vaccine’s cut-off age from 75 to 65, meaning that some 750,000 Arizonans could become eligible for the move; however, the state later clarified that it was up to each county to adopt these recommendations.
“Remember that not every county is in Phase 1B in Arizona,” said ADHS director, Dr. Cara Christ KTAR News 92.3 FM is the Mike Broomhead Show On thursday. “And given the limited resources, not every county may be able to prioritize in the same way as the state, so it’s really on a county by county basis.”
This expansion into phase 1B came after federal authorities changed their recommendations to prioritize shots while supply is limited.
According to state officials, 85% of Arizonans who died of COVID-19 and more than half who were hospitalized were 65 or older.
Sunenshine said Maricopa County is vaccinating approximately 10,000 people a day at its current distribution locations and is working to add additional locations and pharmacy partners in the coming weeks.
“We are not sure when we will have enough vaccine to include the additional 400,000 people in the category aged 65 and over,” said Sunenshine.
“When we get to that point, we will be ready with additional PODs planned so that we can take this vaccine to everyone who wants it.”
In state-run locations, such as State Farm Stadium and Phoenix Municipal, those who are 65 years old can apply for the vaccine, even though they are in Maricopa County.