SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – San Diego County will move to the next level of vaccination on Saturday, allowing about half a million residents the coronavirus vaccine.
The province will expand the list of those eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, with educators, law enforcement and food and agriculture staff. Residents 65 years and older have already been offered the vaccine as part of the first level in Phase 1B.
Vaccinating teachers will play an important role in the plans of many school districts to get students back on campus. The province says that 20% of the vaccines will be set aside by teachers and staff of the 12th grade for the transition nursery. Employees can go to VEBAvaccinates.com to sign up for the latest updates.
For others who are eligible to receive the vaccine, the process will still be the same. They must report to the province’s website and make an appointment.
The province shares the responsibility to vaccinate the additional groups under different agencies:
- Vaccinations for TK-12 educators will be handled by the San Diego County Office of Education and the California Schools Voluntary Employees Benefits Association (VEBA). Everyone eligible under this group will go to the country’s vaccination website to schedule an appointment. (RECEIVABILITY DETAILS)
- Vaccinations for emergency workers will also be handled via the province’s website. Scripps Health will provide assistance in getting law enforcement vaccinated. (ACCESSIBILITY DETAILS)
- Vaccinations for those in the food and agriculture category will be handled through the province’s website. CAL FIRE will help vaccinate farm workers on the premises. (ACCESSIBILITY DETAILS)
But County Board of Supervisors chairman Nathan Fletcher said eligible residents should be patient.
“We’ll open vaccinations for about half a million San Diegans,” Fletcher said. “There will not be half a million appointments available on Saturday or Sunday or Monday or for many weeks to come.”
According to the province’s vaccination panel, about 20.2% of residents received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday, while 8.7% were fully vaccinated.
The addition of another San Diegans comes ahead of the state’s expansion of vaccinations on March 15, which will add some people at high risk for disease and death if diagnosed with COVID-19:
- Cancer, currently with weakened or immunocompromised condition
- Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or higher
- Chronic lung disease, oxygen dependent
- Down syndrome
- Immuno-compromised state (weakened immune system) due to solid organ transplantation
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Heart disease, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy (excludes hypertension) Severe obesity (body mass index ≥ 40 kg / m2)
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus with a hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
People with developmental or other severe high-risk disabilities may also be eligible, as listed here.