LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The state of California announced Friday that health care providers can begin vaccinating people with compromised immune systems and disabilities starting March 15.
Healthcare providers can use clinical judgment to vaccinate individuals aged 16 to 64 who are believed to be at highest risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 as a direct result of one or more of the following serious health conditions:
- Cancer, current with weakened or immunocompromised state
- Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or higher
- Chronic lung disease, oxygen dependent
- Down syndrome
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) by solid organ
transplant - Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (excluding hypertension)
- Seriously overweight (Body Mass Index ≥ 40 kg / m2)
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus with a hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
The new guideline also allows vaccinations for people with developmental disabilities or severe disabilities that leave people at high risk if infected, including the following:
- The person is likely to develop a serious life-threatening illness or die from COVID-19 infection
- Obtaining COVID-19 limits the individual’s ability to receive ongoing care or services essential to their well-being and survival
- Providing adequate and timely COVID care will be particularly challenging due to the individual disability
Currently, vaccines can be distributed to populations identified in Phase 1A and Phase 1B, Phase 1. and Phase 1B, Phase 1.