All Los Angeles County residents 50+ are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine and the age limit drops to 16+ on April 15, but there’s a major catch: there is still not enough vaccine to meet demand.
L.A. County has administered nearly 4 million vaccine doses. A recent CDC study of 4,000 health-care personnel, police, firefighters and other essential workers, found that the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines reduced the risk of COVID-19 infection—asymptomatic and symptomatic—by 80 percent after one dose, and that protection increased to 90 percent following the second dose.
The findings provide evidence that the vaccines effectively reduce transmission and save lives in real world conditions.
The County has administered close to 4 million doses of vaccine so far, with more than 1.2 million people receiving a second dose. As of March 27, the county has vaccinated 71 percent of people ages 65 through 79, and 62 percent of people over the age of 80. These age groups were prioritized because of their high risk for serious illness or death from COVID-19. The county has also vaccinated 32 percent of people ages 50 through 64 who were eligible workers or individuals with serious underlying medical conditions or disabilities, but almost 5.5 million residents 16 and older still need to be vaccinated.
For information about who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccine in L.A. County, how to make an appointment if it is your turn, what verifications you will need to show at your vaccination appointment, and much more, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com
Many pharmacies, including CVS, RiteAid and Walgreens, offer online sign ups. So do stores like Costco. Carbon Health is handling reservations for the Pierce College “mega-POD” vaccine site, run by the Los Angeles City Fire Department: https://carbonhealth.com.
County officials urge all residents to get whichever vaccine is available as soon as possible. Learn more at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/vaccine/index.htm
