LA County expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to gardeners, housekeepers, nannies and flight crews
The next group of Californians eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine can start booking their appointments this week as the state expands its eligibility list amid an expected increase in vaccine supply.
Starting April 1, everyone 50 and older will be able to make an appointment to receive a shot, and individuals 16 and older will become eligible starting April 15.
In Los Angeles County, vaccine eligibility has also expanded to include gardeners and landscapers, as well as housekeepers and private child caretakers working at least 20 hours per week.
Flight crews that live or are based in Los Angeles County can now also register for a vaccine appointment.
California to expand vaccination eligibility to everyone 16 and older starting April 15
This week, the county is set to receive more than 338,000 doses, and tens of thousands more will be sent directly pharmacies and health care centers.
"Our calculations suggest if we're able to get up to 750,000 doses delivered a week, we should be able to work through the adult population certainly by the end of June," said Dr. Paul Simon, L.A. County Department of Public Health chief science officer. "That's a goal contingent upon us getting a larger supply of vaccine."
Dr. Simon urges people to be patient, adding that for those not able to get an appointment immediately, wait a week or so and it should be a easier to navigate.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla on Monday will be visiting the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at Hollywood Park near SoFi Stadium to discuss vaccine distribution efforts in California and highlight the importance of getting vaccinated.
More than 6.1 million people in the state have now been fully vaccinated, officials say.
Speaking at a vaccination site in Orange County last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that for the first time, family members accompanying currently eligible people can get a vaccine too, "no questions asked." A press release later clarified that this was up to providers' discretion, and only applies to families living in high-impact areas.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state's health and human services secretary, also made it clear that applies to the undocumented community.
"If things like this come up in the future, it is directly against what we are standing for today, which is low-barrier, no-barrier vaccination opportunities for all Californians," he said.
Based on current estimates, California expects to receive about 2.5 million first and second doses per week in the first half of April and more than 3 million doses in the second half of the month. That's a major jump from the roughly 1.8 million doses a week the state is currently getting.
