Another few million Californians qualified for a coveted COVID-19 vaccine early Monday, but limited supplies mean they and some previously eligible residents can make difficult appointments.
On Monday, the state expanded access to vaccines for the homeless, transport workers and the largest category – people aged 16 to 64, who are at COVID-19 most at risk for disease and death.
The list of “high-risk” conditions and disabilities that qualify a person for the next vaccination phase includes cancer, pregnancy, stage 4 kidney disease, oxygen-dependent lung disease, Down syndrome, sickle cell, coronary artery disease, severe diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and an attenuated immune system due to a solid organ transplant.
This latest phase of California’s vaccine deployment adds 4 million to 6 million people to the current list of eligible Californians, bringing the total to 17 million to 19 million – or about half the state. And that comes as California continues to see a steady decline in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, allowing 13 counties to reopen the red level for reopening over the past two days.
But based on current award forecasts, it will take some time to meet the demand for more vaccines.
In Santa Clara County, for example, the appointment of vaccines available through the county’s health system has been fully discussed for more than a week. According to a provincial spokesperson, no new appointments could be made for first doses last week, and people will not be able to make them this week either.
The province could not say when they expected the booking of the first dose of appointments, but only that it “depends on the stock supplied each week.”
San Mateo County is offering two-day clinics for two-dose appointments this week and is offering limited first-dose clinics for homeless and incarcerated individuals, along with the targeted outreach through the San Mateo Health Plan to its members and the San Mateo Medical Center. to other eligible patients.
A first-dose clinic scheduled for Saturday at the San Mateo County Event Center could vaccinate 2,300 people, giving priority to essential occupations such as teachers and transportation workers and some residents who qualify under the risk categories, according to Preston Merchant.
Sutter Health, which had to cancel 95,000 second-dose vaccines earlier this month due to a shortage of supplies, is preferring the rescheduled two-dose appointments for all those who have been canceled. First dose appointments, also for those considered high risk, have for the time being been largely placed on standby.
“Where our offer or provincial allocation allows, we were open to the first dose of new appointment, but at the moment we are not yet generally open to new appointments for the first dose,” a Sutter spokesman said. Health written in a statement.
Kaiser Permanente, which vaccinates both members and non-members, announced on Monday that “if the offer allows it, it will start issuing and offering appointments to members 16 to 64 who are at high risk for complications if they get COVID-19 on the ground. of their medical history.
Meanwhile, residents in high-risk groups in Contra Costa County have a better chance of making appointments than those elsewhere.
Federal-qualified community health centers in Contra Costa, such as Lifelong Medical and La Clinica, received 14,000 doses of vaccines from the federal government on Monday. Officials book about 80% of appointments for second doses and offer the remaining 20% for first doses.
According to spokesman Scott Alonso, the country had planned appointments for one week since Monday, but still had thousands of openings.
“We want to underline for people who are interested in receiving the vaccine, to enroll anywhere and everywhere and not give up if it takes time,” Alonso said.
Apart from provincial health departments, Californians may be eligible for vaccinations through their healthcare provider, local pharmacies, community clinics, or the My Turn website at myturn.ca.gov.
In the last phase, people are essentially asked to comply with an honorary system when signing up for appointments.
New guidelines released Friday allow individuals with underlying conditions or disabilities to simply declare themselves eligible without disclosing or proving their condition. Although some people are concerned that the system could be abused, disability advocates say it will eliminate additional burdens that may make it more difficult for some people, especially those with mental disabilities, to access an appointment.
Charise Hill, 34, of Sacramento, has been advocating for local and government officials for months to prioritize people with high-risk conditions and disabilities. Hill, who uses the pronouns they / they use, is diagnosed with axial spondyloarthritis – a condition of inflammatory arthritis commonly treated with drugs that suppress the immune system – and has barely left their home in recent years.
“I have a lot of mixed emotions,” Hill said in an interview Monday. “It’s exciting that we’re finally here, but it’s also filled with residual anger because the state has been refusing to prioritize us for so long as they should have done from the beginning.”
Using the state’s MyTurn website, Hill got a first dose appointment on Thursday. Fearing that they might be rejected, even though the state had people testify, Hill also received a doctor’s letter stating that they were eligible.
“It was quite confusing to navigate this whole thing and try to figure out when we would really be scheduling, who is qualified and will I have to prove my disability somehow?” Hill said. “Our work is done first before everyone knows they are eligible and how to make an appointment.”