The measure puts older people in line with emergency workers, teachers, childcare providers and workers in the food and agricultural industries, even though counties complain that they do not already have enough doses to go around.
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“There is no higher priority than the efficient and equitable distribution of these vaccines as soon as possible to those facing the worst consequences,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. For those who are not yet eligible for vaccines, it is your turn. we are doing everything we can to bring more vaccines to the state. ”
While health workers and those in nursing homes and other housing facilities may still be vaccinated, state officials are extending the program to those 65 and older because they have the highest risk of being hospitalized and dying. .
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California has seen cases of viruses and hospitalizations explode since Thanksgiving, although numbers have flattened in recent days.
“With our hospitals crowded and ICUs full, we need to focus on vaccinating Californians who are most at risk of being hospitalized to alleviate stress on our health care facilities,” said Dr. Tomas Aragon, director of the Department of Health. Published by California State Public Health Officer. Prioritizing people aged 65 and over will reduce hospitalizations and save lives. “
The moves follow the recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday. But it comes after members of a state advisory committee feared on Tuesday that the addition of the elderly will inevitably delay vaccines for others.
Anthony Wright, executive director of the Health Access California Consumer Health Advocacy Group, said he is generally in favor of moving to vaccinating older residents, the group most likely to be hospitalized and die of coronavirus. But he was among those who said the expansion could further confuse the state’s already delayed launch of rare vaccines.
“This is a very tough conversation about compromises,” he said.
The addition of aging does not mean that we are abandoning our commitment to “those who are already in line for vaccines,” said later co-chair of the group, California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris. We work together to solve multiple challenges at the same time. ”
Newsom also announced a new system to let people know if they are eligible to receive a vaccine, which will begin next week.
If residents are not yet eligible, the system will allow them to register for a text or email notification when they are.
A second phase of this system will help counties and cities that have started mass inoculation centers in sports stadiums and fairs, allowing eligible members of the public to schedule their meetings at mass vaccination events.
Newsom set a goal last week to deliver 1 million doses by Friday, in addition to the approximately 480,000 given by last week.
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