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The hoped-for rollout of COVID-19 vaccine to individuals 65 years and older in Los Angeles County was met with chaos and confusion Thursday with the county saying it may very well be weeks earlier than that group may be vaccinated.
It was a day of frustration for seniors attempting to make appointments. Some have been capable of schedule them at retailers however it’s unclear whether or not these shall be honored. Calls and emails poured into medical doctors’ workplaces and pharmacies, and appointment web sites run by retail pharmacies reportedly crashed underneath the flood of requests.
Now, L.A. County residents over the age of 65 who’re on the lookout for a COVID-19 vaccine — and for readability — should get in line.
Vaccine distribution varies by counties, and L.A. is saying healthcare staff and first responders want their photographs earlier than senior residents get vaccinated.
Who is eligible in L.A. right this moment?
According to the L.A. County Public Health Department, Los Angeles remains to be in Phase 1A of the vaccine rollout, which implies solely healthcare staff and residents of expert nursing and long-term care services are eligible to obtain the vaccine.
The division mentioned the county is working to offer one other 500,000 such staff with doses by the tip of the month, and hopes to maneuver past section 1A in the beginning of February.
Surrounding counties are in varied levels of the rollout. Orange County and Riverside County have opened vaccines to residents 65 and older, in accordance with their public well being departments.
San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties are nonetheless prioritizing Phase 1A healthcare staff.
When will or not it’s my flip?
Phase 1A will tentatively wrap up in early February, at which level the county can shift focus to Angelenos in Phase 1B — which incorporates individuals 65 and over, together with choose important staff in training, childcare, emergency companies, meals and agriculture. The county estimates that everybody in Phase 1B shall be supplied at the least one dose of the vaccine by late March.
Phase 1C, which incorporates individuals ages 50 to 64, and folks 16 to 49 with underlying well being circumstances or who work in sure important jobs, is estimated to start in March. Everyone in that section ought to obtain at the least one dose by early May.
Phase 2, which incorporates all individuals ages 16 to 49, is estimated to start by mid-May or early June.
Children is not going to be supplied the vaccine within the close to future, the county well being division mentioned. The Pfizer vaccine has been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for individuals over age 16, and the Moderna vaccine is allowed for individuals 18 or older.
The timings for every section are estimates, and will change in accordance with provide ranges and state prioritization necessities. The phases will overlap.
Los Angeles County has arrange an e mail system for individuals to signal as much as obtain updates on vaccine distribution.
Where will I’m going to obtain my vaccine?
Nearly 100 distribution websites are already listed on the county’s appointment portal, and embrace a mixture of clinics, well being facilities and retail pharmacies operated by chains like Albertsons and Ralphs. When registering for an appointment, you can be requested to confirm your eligibility for the present section.
Albertsons pharmacy supervisor Willem Henning mentioned Wednesday that the shops are coaching greater than 500 pharmacy technicians in Southern California to help with vaccine administration, and that the vaccines are already “moving out the door” as quickly as they arrive in. Ralphs spokesman John Votava mentioned the vaccine will roll out to all 77 Ralphs Pharmacy areas all through Southern California and the Central Coast.
Several city-run COVID-19 testing areas, corresponding to Hansen Dam Recreational Center and Dodger Stadium, are being transformed into vaccination websites. Disneyland can be being was Orange County’s first “super” vaccination web site.
Hospital techniques, together with Kaiser Permanente, together with personal medical doctors’ workplaces, shall be aiding with vaccination rollout to their purchasers and members as properly.
“We have been preparing for the expansion of eligibility under state guidelines, and are working with counties and state leaders on expanding vaccination locations,” Kaiser mentioned in a press release Thursday. “Successfully delivering the vaccine to people 65 and older depends on getting access to adequate supplies of vaccine, which we understand is coming.”
Again, solely healthcare staff in L.A. are at present eligible to register for an appointment. New areas and appointment instances shall be added as vaccination capability will increase.
Will I’ve to pay?
No. According to the L.A. County Department of Public Health, the vaccine shall be lined by personal and public insurance coverage firms. People with out medical insurance can get the COVID-19 vaccine for free of charge. There are not any out-of-pocket funds.
What ought to I do whereas I wait?
Continue to comply with public well being tips: put on face coverings, apply social distancing and keep away from giant gatherings. New estimates present that 1 in 3 L.A. county residents have been contaminated by COVID-19.
Officials say it is best to proceed to comply with these steps even after you may have obtained each doses of the vaccine.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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