Millions in California lose priority status

California made more than 4.4 million people at risk for health eligible for the meager COVID-19 vaccine this week, but the state also silently ruled out millions of people vulnerable to the disease due to age or occupation of any mention in its priority plan.

And many of these 50- to 64-year-olds and other essential workers who face exposure at work are wondering if they will ever be prioritized or will join everyone else when the US opens its doors to anyone who wants a vaccine, perhaps already in May.

“” It’s 62- and 64-year-olds that we’ve been listening to a lot and are really concerned about, ”said Fred Buzo, associate state director for AARP California, noting that more than 93% of deaths in the state occurred among people aged 50 and older. . “There is a concern that, by placing so many other people in the queue, not just those over 50, but those over 65, they will be further behind.”

The disappearance of people aged 50-64 and other workers who had been listed as a next priority phase of the state’s online vaccine information site appears to have happened in February. But that has gained more attention since President Biden said last week that he expects eligibility to be open to all older adults and teens on May 1, and after California’s expanded eligibility this week did not include these groups. The California Department of Public Health did not respond on Wednesday to questions about the next phase of eligibility.

Asked about the change at a news conference this week, Governor Gavin Newsom indicated that other groups would be prioritized as part of a “ladder”, with risk of exposure and age “our main factors in terms of prioritization”. But Newsom, adding that “our northern star remains heritage”, did not say which groups could be next in line, or when.

“I predict that in the coming days and weeks, you will continue to see, as more and more supplies arrive in the state, a loosening, moving towards where the record is going on May 1st, where we loosen up for everyone all layers are completely removed, ”said Newsom. “Therefore, we anticipate this cadence.”

The national and state vaccination effort has been chaotic and uneven as authorized vaccine manufacturers – Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – struggle to increase production while government leaders try to prioritize who should receive doses based on greater risks of exposure or death of the coronavirus.

Since vaccines were first made available in December, California has repeatedly changed its prioritization plan. To add to the confusion, his current scheme is not in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.

The CDC’s recommendations, drawn up from an independent panel of medical and public health experts, place health care professionals and vulnerable elderly and residents with disabilities in long-term care facilities as the highest priority.

Then, the CDC prioritized people aged 75 and over, whose age puts them at greater risk of dying from the virus. This phase also includes frontline workers in essential jobs with a high risk of exposure, including public safety, grocery, food and agriculture, teachers and daycare centers, post offices and public transport workers. Thereafter, the CDC’s priority includes ages 65 to 74, those aged 16 to 64 with specific health risks and other essential workers, including energy, construction, finance, law and communications.

California started with a similar plan, with the intention of covering about 3 million people across the state.

But then the state changed course with the next phase, starting with those aged 65 and over, as well as education and daycare workers, food and agriculture and emergency services, about 12 million people in total. A second part included workers in transport, critical manufacturing, industrial, commercial and residential services, prisoners and homeless people.

The next phase in California would be to include people aged 50 to 64 and those aged 16 to 49 with specific health risks. Energy, water, chemicals, finance, government and communications workers were also included in this phase. But that phase is no longer listed in the state’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan.

Instead, this week the state opened eligibility on Monday for 4.4 million people, including those with cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, sickle cell disease, severe obesity, mental illness, mentally disabled, pregnant women , addicts, as well as prisoners, homeless people, public transport and airport workers. Left out are the 50-64 age group and some other occupations that followed.

In all, 19.4 million of California’s 40 million residents are now eligible for vaccines – 4.5 million have already been fully vaccinated and 4.3 million have received one of the two vaccines required for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

But only 47.5% of people aged 65 and over and 20% of people aged 50-64 years received at least one dose of vaccine, compared with 32.6% of people aged 18-49, who are responsible For 6.7% of COVID-19 deaths in the state. These young people qualified for the injection because of their occupation or disability.