LOS ANGELES, Feb 12 (Reuters) – Approximately 800 workers in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Friday will be in the first wave of COVID-19 vaccinations for employees at the busiest port complex in the United States, which has been hit hard by disruptions pandemic-related labor force and rising imports.
Members of Congress last month joined state and local leaders in urging California officials to speed up COVID-19 vaccinations for port employees amid high-stakes battles over which workers should be prioritized as essential.
Sometimes such decisions are made at the local level, which has led to a mix of vaccination eligibility rules at a time when demand for COVID-19 vaccines far exceeds supply.
The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services organized the clinic, which allocated 800 doses of Moderna Inc vaccine to port workers. The event is taking place as mass inoculation sites in other parts of Los Angeles County – including Dodger Stadium – are temporarily closed due to lack of vaccine supply.
Meanwhile, some states are beginning to expand vaccinations beyond first aid, health care workers and the elderly, to supermarket officials, line cooks, bus drivers and teachers.
In New York State, workers in grocery stores and restaurants are allowed to take pictures. In Illinois, too, some factory workers began receiving vaccinations. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)