Los Angeles County expects an increase in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, which provides a welcome boost to the vaccination of the region.
According to the Department of Public Health, the province’s latest allocation, which contains about 362,000 doses, is nearly 39,000 higher than last week.
The number is only one piece of the wider pharmaceutical pie. Grants sent directly from the federal government to qualified health centers and pharmacies are expected to increase the region’s total load to more than 600,000 doses this week.
Provincial officials say they can handle more than just shipments of the size. From April 4 to 11, the country reported an average of nearly 100,000 doses per day, according to Dr. Paul Simon, Chief Scientific Officer for the Department of Public Health in LA County.
“At this rate, we are on track to fully vaccinate 80% of the province’s 16 and older by June,” he said during a briefing last week.
Vaccinations in the city of Los Angeles alone are expected to deliver more than 100,000 doses this week, officials said.
“With the expansion of admission to vaccines and more people signing up daily to get their shots, our city remains excited and ready to meet the new demand,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement. ‘The vaccine is free, easy and safe. We will continue to do our part to vaccinate Angelenos and encourage everyone 16 and older to make an appointment so we can end the pandemic. ”
However, even with the expected boost of this week, the country’s direct shots will remain lower than those seen earlier this month. The main culprit is the vaccine Johnson & Johnson, which is in limbo while federal health officials examine six nationwide reports of blood clots among its recipients.
California stopped using the vaccine last week on the advice of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
“These cases are a one-to-one million event, and it’s not yet clear that there is a real link between the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and severe blood clotting results,” LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis said Monday said. “While this potential side effect is rare, we are still discontinuing all Johnson & Johnson vaccines out of sheer caution until the FDA tells us it is safe.”
The week of April 4 was 118,000 J&J out of 397,430 doses of COVID-19 vaccine assigned to LA County.
Although it is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. Anthony Fauci, the government’s leading expert on infectious diseases, said in news interviews that he expects a decision when advisers to the CDC meet on Friday.
“I would be very surprised if we did not resume in shape by Friday,” he said Sunday. “I do not really foresee them wanting to stretch it any further.”
Since the break was announced, LA County has been able to replace 70% of J&J doses with the two vaccines still in use: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, according to Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
“For those whose appointments were canceled last week, the providers have already made contact or will re-book their contact as soon as possible,” she said during a briefing on Monday.
The province, she added, “will follow the CDC and FDA guidelines when it is safe to resume administration of the J&J vaccine.”
Meanwhile, suppliers are striving to get as many shots as the stock allows, now that California is eligible for vaccination for everyone 16 and older.
As the deployment continues, LA, along with providers across the state, will continue to tailor its efforts as needs and circumstances dictate. The province’s large-scale vaccination center at Six Flags Magic Mountain closed on Sunday and was replaced by two new places, to College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita and the Palmdale Oasis Park Recreation Center.
Achieving wide-ranging vaccination is the key to ending the pandemic and reopening California’s economy in the short term – what government officials hope to do by June 15.
Officials, however, stressed the importance of wearing masks in public, taking physical distance and avoiding stressful situations, especially indoors.
“We in Los Angeles are in a good place right now and we have an opportunity to set a different course than what we see happening in other parts of the country,” Ferrer said. “But we can only do it if we do it together. We know how well a simple mask works to protect children and adults, and how critical it is for each of us to protect each other by getting vaccinated as soon as we are able. ‘
Basic principles of vaccines:
Appointments can be made online with the state’s My Turn system. Officials said the online system can handle up to 300,000 transactions per hour, and they expect it to be able to meet demand.
Appointments can also be arranged by calling (833) 422-4255, where support is offered in more than 200 languages. The hotline is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
In Los Angeles County, people with disabilities or without computer access are encouraged to call 540-0473 between 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., Monday through Sunday (833).
Appointments can also be booked through healthcare providers, such as Kaiser Permanente, and pharmacies that offer vaccinations, such as CVS, Ralphs, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Costco, en Albertsons / Vons / Safeway / Pavilions.
All vaccines are free to anyone living in the United States, regardless of immigration or health insurance status.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.