Government officials announced Friday, February 12, that administrators can begin coronavirus vaccinations within one month for anyone under the age of 65 with a medical condition that increases their chances of a fatal COVID-19 case.
As of March 15, health care providers in California can vaccinate people between the ages of 16 and 64 at greatest risk if they catch the coronavirus, including people with cancer, chronic lung disease and various heart diseases.
Pregnancies, people with Down syndrome and people who are severely obese, have type 2 diabetes or have an organ transplant were also included, among others.
“We realize that certain individuals in many different categories, whether they are working or older, have additional risk factors, based on different disabilities (and) different conditions,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of health and human services in California, told reporters Friday afternoon.
The announcement comes one turbulent month after public health departments and private networks in Southern California expanded the vaccination campaigns to 65-year-olds amid a lack of high demand.
The addition of people aged 16 to 64 with health conditions will yield up to 6 million more qualified people over the millions of elderly and health workers who can make appointments for shots today, Ghaly said.
“We still have a lot to do with the scarcity of vaccines,” he said.
But while the supply outlook is bleak, Ghaly said administrators now clearly need to take more doses out of the vaccination vials already in the state. Those on the front line who administer shots can now stretch Pfizer vials in six doses instead of five, and Modern scales can now deliver 11 doses instead of 10.
“The hope is that the stock increases and that we work on our communication and engagement to ensure that individuals feel comfortable and safe from being vaccinated, and that everything comes together as soon as possible,” Ghaly said.
The doses administered by health officials in Los Angeles ran out earlier than expected this week, forcing the closure of five sites for mass vaccinations.
Orange County officials meanwhile said Tuesday that they will focus their efforts on the elderly and wait at least another two weeks before offering the shots to educators, food service workers and others who are next to get it.
According to the Department of Public Health, on February 12, 5.5 million doses of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots were administered worldwide, indicating that the figures “do not represent true daily change, as reporting is possible. be delayed. ”
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reports that just under 8 million doses were delivered in California, and that nearly 8.2 million doses were shipped.