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All Californians 16 and Older Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccines
Monrovia Weekly Apr 15, 2021
Photo courtesy of L.A. County
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As announced by Governor Gavin Newsom last month, all Californians 16 and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting today.
“Today’s vaccine eligibility expansion is a major milestone in our state’s fight against the pandemic and another step on the path to reopening fully in the coming months,” Newsom said in a statement. “Thanks to the hard work of Californians who followed public health guidelines, our case rates and hospitalizations are among the lowest they’ve been since the start of the pandemic. California will need all hands on deck to keep up this progress, and I encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccinating all of those who are eligible will take time, but our statewide providers are ready to meet the increased demand and we are excited to get this vaccine into the arms of all Californians who want them, especially those in the hardest hit communities.”
California expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to residents 50 and older on April 1. As of Thursday, nearly half of all residents in the 16 and older population have already received at least one dose, including 73.9% of seniors aged 65 and older. Over 24 million doses have been administered in California, with 4.9 million doses administered in the hardest hit communities.
The state continues allocating 40% of vaccine doses to the hardest-hit areas of the state based on the lowest quartile of the Public Health Alliance of Southern California’s Healthy Places Index (HPI).
California’s eligibility expansion meets a nationwide deadline set by President Joe Biden that all adults in the U.S. be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by April 19.
Individuals seeking an opportunity to get vaccinated may still need to wait for an appointment. Eligible residents can visit MyTurn.ca.gov (available in 12 languages) to find and schedule available appointments or call the COVID-19 hotline at (833) 422-4255 (assistance available in 250+ languages).
All COVID-19 vaccines are free regardless of immigration or health insurance status.
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