The US state of California adds millions of people to its Covid-19 vaccination priority list, including residents “at high risk with developmental and other disabilities” and those with “serious underlying health problems.”
The plan, drawn up at a briefing by state health officials Friday, will begin March 15 and will allow cancer patients, pregnant women and other disabled individuals to join health workers, seniors, teachers and farm workers for a vaccine. The expansion could add as many as 6 million more Californians to the priority list.
It also broadens the age of 65 and older to 16 to 64 in those categories.
California Health and Human Service Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, told reporters that the March 15 start will give officials time to work out details on how to get vaccines to people with various disabilities, including home visits.
Ghaly acknowledged the timing could be optimistic and cautioned, “We are still dealing with the scarcity of vaccines. This week, the state’s drastic vaccine shortage has led to the closure of the Los Angeles massive vaccination centers. “
The extensive list of those eligible includes people with cancer, chronic kidney disease, oxygen-dependent heart disease, Down syndrome, immunosuppressed organ transplant recipients, pregnant women, people with sickle cell disease, severe obesity, and certain type 2 diabetes.
Ghaly expressed concern about the inequality in the distribution between colored communities and low-income areas. There are plans to reach out to community clinics, public health systems and what they call “trusted messengers in communities whose data shows reluctance to get vaccinated.”
Senior state health officials acknowledged complaints from rural counties that they did not receive a fair share of the vaccines. However, officials say these areas were historically medically underserved and much of the early distribution was in areas with a high number of medical workers.
Officials say the focus will now shift to rural areas in California’s farming community, which has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Officials also believe that a focus on Californians with developmental disabilities and serious underlying conditions will allow for more vaccinations in sensitive environments, such as prisons, homeless shelters, and areas where homeless people live.
The state estimates that 13 million Californians are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, including 3 million health workers, 3.4 million food and agricultural workers, 1.4 million in the education sector, one million in emergency services, and more than 6 million people over the age of 65.