The state of California allows individuals with one in ten comorbidities to start the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday – including severe obesity, which is defined as a body mass index of 40 kg / m2 or higher, or more generally a BMI of 40 is called. or higher.
To put this in perspective, a 5-foot, 6-inch adult weighing 250 pounds has a BMI of 40.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention considers anyone with a BMI of 30 or higher to be obese, and the city of San Francisco expands the state’s definition of qualifying conditions and vaccinates those who are technically obese according to CDC standards.
In a nutshell: Californians with a BMI of 40 and above can be vaccinated, while residents of SF with a BMI of 30 and above qualify for the shot.
The difference between the state and SF qualifications confuses some, as you have to go through the My My website of the state to sign up for appointments at SF urban vaccines like Moscone Center. The My Turn website requires users to tick a box to indicate that they are eligible for the vaccine; the obesity option indicates a BMI of 40 and higher.
SF supervisor Matt Haney addressed the issue on Twitter on Monday, writing that SF residents could mark the check mark “40 and higher” if their BMI falls between 30 and 39.
“Anyone with a BMI of 30 or higher in San Francisco is also eligible for the vaccine starting today,” Haney said. wrote on Twitter. When asked about problems with registration on the state’s website, he explained: “It’s my turn that is the problem. People still qualify and they have to choose the 40>.”
The CDC provides an online tool that calculates your BMI. While the medical community defines BMI as the weight of a person in kilograms divided by the square height in meters, the instrument uses the system of feet, inches and pounds of the United States.
CDC data from 2019 indicated that 26% of adults in California have a BMI of 30 or higher. This is lower than the national average of 42%.
Research has found that obesity increases the risk of serious diseases due to COVID and can triple the risk of hospitalization due to infection, according to the CDC. Obesity has also been linked to weakened immune function and reduces lung capacity and reserve and can complicate ventilation, the CDC said.
California opened COVID-19 vaccines Monday for people with one of the following ten conditions considered “serious” by the state: cancer; chronic kidney disease of stage 4 or higher; chronic lung disease; Down syndrome; weakened immune system due to solid organ transplantation; pregnancy; sickle cell disease; heart disease, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathy (but not hypertension); severe obesity; a type 2 diabetes mellitus.
People with disabilities are also eligible, and the state has provided many examples of people falling into this category, including people using regional centers, independent centers, home support services, adult health centers, Medi-Cal HIV / Aids remission. and waivers of alternative home and community-based homes and Medi-Cal waivers, the California Child Services Program (if the child is between 16 and 21 years old) and the California Disability Program.
The California Department of Public Health released guidelines Thursday that said people with these high-risk conditions or disabilities would not be required to provide documentation to verify their diagnosis to get vaccinated, but they could be asked for a self-declaration. sign that they meet the criteria.
The state has recommended that suitable people start by contacting their healthcare providers. The state also suggests that the My Turn website be checked regularly as new appointments are added daily.