Jim Clark, 86, receives a first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from UC Davis Health on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, Pool)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is immediately allowing residents 65 and older to get scarce coronavirus vaccines. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Wednesday puts seniors in line before emergency workers, teachers, childcare providers and food and agriculture workers even as counties complain they already don’t have enough doses to go around. Health care workers and those in nursing homes and other congregate living facilities can still be vaccinated, but state officials are expanding the program to those 65 and up because they are at the greatest risk of being hospitalized and dying. California has seen virus cases and hospitalizations explode since Thanksgiving, though in recent days the numbers have flattened.
We are significantly increasing efforts to get vaccines out.
One way is through mass distribution sites for priority groups, another is increasing eligible groups – we’re announcing that Californians 65+ are the next group eligible to receive #COVID19 vaccines. #EndThePandemic pic.twitter.com/LU7rFPzvFd
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) January 13, 2021
Why is this group next in line? In San Francisco, people 60 years of age or over represent only 15% of COVID cases, but 88% of our COVID deaths.
As we receive more vaccines to vaccinate more individuals, more sites will be opened throughout SF.
— London Breed (@LondonBreed) January 13, 2021