People aged 16 to 64 with disabilities or qualified health conditions that put them at high risk of suffering serious illness or dying from COVID-19 will be eligible to receive vaccines in San Francisco as of Monday.
The city will also open consultations for individuals living or working in high-risk congregated care settings, including correctional facilities, shelters for the homeless and residential care and treatment facilities, the Department of Public Health announced on Friday.
Homeless people who could transition to congregated environments will also be eligible for vaccines.
“Vaccination of people with disabilities and with serious underlying conditions, and people who are in crowded environments, is an important part of our efforts to save lives and protect our most vulnerable residents,” said Mayor London Breed in a statement.
She warned that, despite opening the vaccine’s eligibility to several new groups, the supply remains low. So far, about 27% of San Francisco residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Across the state, California is opening eligibility for the vaccine on Monday for Phase 1C, which includes people aged 16 to 64 with disabilities and health problems that put them at risk for severe COVID-19. Approximately 4.4 million people meet state criteria. Counties choose when to start vaccinating this group based on local supplies.
Health conditions included in the state’s eligibility list include cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, Down syndrome, organ transplantation, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, heart failure, severe obesity and type 2 diabetes.
San Francisco will slightly expand the state’s eligibility, including allowing people with HIV to be vaccinated, along with people who identify themselves as deaf or disabled. The city is also expanding the state’s definition of disability to include developmental, medical, physical, sensory or behavioral disabilities, including serious mental health or substance use problems.
San Francisco will not require proof of qualification at vaccination clinics, but will feature the honor system.
“This is a big step towards protecting members of our community who are most at risk of contracting or dying from COVID-19,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, the city’s health director. “Many of those with underlying health problems and disabilities or who are in community living environments have had to endure greater isolation last year for fear of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 and vaccinating this population is a critical step in protecting our city . ”
City officials said congregated environments, such as prisons, homeless shelters and behavioral health facilities, which are home to large concentrations of individuals with chronic health conditions, are considered to be at high risk for COVID-19 outbreaks.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health plans to establish a series of pilot mobile vaccination programs to target these populations, according to Friday’s announcement.
Aidin Vaziri is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected]