U.S. regulators are on the cusp of approving a vaccine for COVID-19. Two vaccines have been shown in trials to be 95 percent effective after test subjects were given two doses a few weeks apart. Once the vaccine is approved by the Federal Drug Administration and shipped out to states, California will provide a COVID-19 vaccine to everyone who wants it at no cost. Vaccinations will be allocated in a phased approach. Managing editor Tami Roleff has more information about the vaccines…
Once the vaccines arrive in California, they will be allocated to residents in phases. Phase one includes high-risk health care workers, first responders, people of all ages with comorbid and underlying conditions that put them at significantly higher risk, and older adults living in congregate or overcrowded settings.
Phase two will be K-12 teachers and school staff, childcare workers, critical workers in high-risk settings who are in industries essential to the functioning of society, people in homeless shelters, group homes for individuals with disabilities, prisons, jails, and detention centers and similar facilities along with staff who work in such settings, and all older adults not included in Phase 1.
Phase three includes younger adults, children, and workers in industries and occupations important to the functioning of society and at increased risk of exposure not included in Phases 1 and 2.
And phase four includes everyone residing in the United States who did not have access to the vaccine in previous phase.
The State of California will allocate vaccinations based on a calculation of the number of health care workers within the county. Additionally, San Bernardino County has been designated by the State as a pre-positioning county, which will allow for earlier distribution to our county.
There will be three primary distribution methods of the vaccine: 1) Direct shipments to providers; 2) Department of Public Health and Office of Emergency Services distribution; and 3) Skilled nursing facilities/long term care facilities in partnership with CVS/Walgreens.
Many county locations currently being used for COVID-19 testing will also eventually offer the COVID-19 vaccination when it is ready for the community.
Additionally, a network of health providers in the county will administer vaccinations throughout the various allocation phases.
