As of Monday, millions of California residents with pre-existing health conditions as well as disabilities can sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine.
However, with a shortage of supplies, it can be difficult to get a chance.
Here’s what you need to know:
Who is eligible?
People aged 16 to 64 may be eligible if they are considered to have the greatest risk to get very sick from COVID-19.
The high-risk group contains ten categories: people with cancer; chronic kidney disease of stage 4 or higher; chronic lung disease; Down syndrome; affected immune system due to solid organ transplantation; pregnancy; sickle cell disease; heart disease such as heart failure, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy (excluding hypertension); severe obesity; a type 2 diabetes mellitus.
With the population estimates for the group at about 4.4. million and with other eligible groups of about 13 million, nearly half of all California residents will now be eligible for a vaccine.
The state on Thursday also offered specific examples of people who are eligible for admission but who are not explicitly listed.
These include people who provide regional centers, independent residential centers, home support services, community-based adult services, Medi-Cal HIV / Aids remissions, Medi-Cal home and community-based alternative forgiveness, Medi-Cal childcare assistance programs, California child care programs, care programs the client is 16 to 21 years old, and California programs for the genetically disabled.
How do I get a vaccine?
Officials are urging residents to work with their healthcare providers to seek vaccinations as their first step.
“First check with your regular healthcare provider if there are vaccines and available appointments. “Healthcare providers who have vaccines can also start reaching out as a patient with a significant high-risk medical condition or disability that the provider knows to institute your vaccination,” the state said.
Other options include local pharmacies, local health departments, community pop-up clinics or using the My Turn website. Access details:
- Online at myturn.ca.gov. The MyTurn website is accessible to people with disabilities and in eight languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Japanese.
- Call the COVID-19 hotline at (833) 422-4255 from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday-Friday or 08:00 to 17:00 Saturday-Sunday.
Will I have to prove I qualify?
The state said people should not be expected to prove they are disabled or have health conditions when they do vaccinations. Instead, those who are eligible are expected to sign a self-declaration confirming that they meet the criteria.
“To protect confidentiality, verification documentation of the diagnosis or type of disability is not required, but instead anyone who meets the requirements is asked to sign a self-declaration that they meet the criteria for high-risk medical conditions or disabilities. , “the state said.
Advocates for disability rights have insisted on a process that would not create unnecessary barriers, especially for those who are less mobile or have a mental disability, followed by vaccination problems.
What if I could not get there alone?
The state says that all vaccination sites must be accessible to people with disabilities.
For transportation assistance, officials suggest contacting your local healthcare provider, health department or pharmacy.
“If you are receiving Medi-Cal through a managed care plan, contact your member’s service department for assistance with transportation to receive covered benefits,” the state said in its bulletin. ‘If you receive Medi-Cal via Fee-for-Service (FFS), you can access a list of non-medical transport providers (NMT) in your country and you can contact them directly to arrange transport to your appointments. . If there is no provider in your area, the California Department of Health Services (DHCS) can assist you by sending them to [email protected]. “
Is there a list of conditions that qualify?
The California Department of Public Health presented this outline:
- Cancer, currently with a weakened immune system
- Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or higher
- Chronic lung disease, dependent on oxygen
- Down syndrome
- Solid organ transplant, leading to a weakened immune system
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Heart disease, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy (but not hypertension)
- Severe obesity (body mass index ≥ 40 kg / m2)
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus with a hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
- A COVID-19 infection is likely to result in serious life-threatening illnesses or deaths; OR
- The acquisition of COVID-19 limits the individual’s ability to receive ongoing care or services essential to their well-being and survival; OR
- Providing adequate and timely COVID care will be particularly challenging due to the individual’s disability.