As of March 15, the state of California opens COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for people between the ages of 16 and 64 who have a severe underlying health condition or are at risk due to development or another severe disability.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Agency for Health and Human Services, said this will add about 4-6 million people to about 13 million Californians already eligible for the vaccine.
This will include people with the following conditions:
- Cancer, weakened or immunocompromised current
- Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or higher
- Chronic, oxygen-dependent lung disease
- Immunocompromised condition (weakened immune system) following solid organ transplantation
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary heart disease or cardiomyopathies (excludes hypertension)
- Severe obesity (body mass index ≥ 40 kg / m2)
- Type 2 diabetes with a hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
Currently eligible for the vaccine in California are health care workers, long-term care residents, people aged 65 and over and those working in the education and child care, emergency services and food and agriculture sectors.
However, in San Luis Obispo County, only health care workers and people aged 65 and over are eligible to sign up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments right now, and in Santa Barbara County, appointments are limited to health workers and people over 75 years of age. County public health officials attributed the lack of vaccine supply to limited appointments.
Santa Barbara County plans to expand vaccination schedules for people ages 65 to 74 starting Tuesday, February 16th.
County Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said Friday that Santa Barbara County will also open programs for vaccinating people with disabilities and those with basic conditions on March 16, when they become eligible for each state. She said that those in the sectors of education and childcare, emergency services and food and agriculture will be next, but did not give a specific date.