The Californer - As California Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility to All Californians 50+, Governor Newsom Receives Vaccine in Los Angeles

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All Californians 50+ are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting today

California has administered more than 18 million vaccine doses to date

Governor Newsom receives Johnson & Johnson vaccine at South Los Angeles vaccination site

2.4 million doses allocated to the state next week, 3 million doses per week by mid-April

Californians can look for appointments on MyTurn.ca.gov, now available in 12 languages

SACRAMENTO – With all Californians aged 50 and over now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom today received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at a vaccination site in South Los Angeles, encouraging Californians to get vaccinated when it is their turn.

CLICK HERE to watch Governor Newsom receive the vaccine.

The Governor was joined today by California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, community and local leaders who have supported vaccine equity efforts in the region and Government Operations Agency Secretary Yolanda Richardson, who has assisted the state's vaccine operations planning since January and was also vaccinated today.

"Getting vaccinated is a vital step we can take to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community, and brings us that much closer to ending this pandemic," said Governor Newsom. "I am proud to receive the vaccine today as we open eligibility to more Californians while keeping our focus on making sure those in our hardest-hit communities are able to easily access this life-saving vaccine. While supplies are currently limited, our statewide network of providers is ready to meet the growing demand and we look forward to vaccine allocations dramatically increasing in the months ahead."

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Governor Newsom and Secretary Richardson receive Johnson & Johnson vaccine at South Los Angeles vaccination site

Come April 15, all Californians 16 and older will be eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Even with expanded vaccine supplies and eligibility, individuals may need to wait for an appointment. Most eligible residents can use My Turn to find and schedule available appointments, either by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov (now available in 12 languages) or calling 1-833-422-4255 (assistance available in 250+ languages).

The state expects to be allocated 2.4 million doses next week, an increase of 300,000 over this week, and more than 3 million doses per week in the second half of April. These are projections and may be changed by the federal government. About 7.2 million Californians are 50-64 years old, with a total of 2.8 million people in this group having received at least one dose. Of these, 1.2 million people are fully vaccinated.

"Three safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are reaching more and more Californians, getting us closer to putting this pandemic behind us," said Director of the California Department of Public Health and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. "It will take time to vaccinate all who are eligible, and as we do we must continue to wear face coverings, limit extended exposure to others indoors, and follow all of the best known practices to stop the spread of COVID-19. We also continue to encourage Californians to take the first available vaccine. The best vaccine is the one you can get quickly."

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California is ready as more vaccine supply is expected to come into the state. This week, Blue Shield of California, the state's third-party administrator, announced it successfully enhanced the COVID-19 vaccine provider network to have capacity to administer 5.5 million doses a week to help save more lives. The network reaches more than 99 percent of Californians and 99 percent of those who live in the Healthy Places Index lowest quartile areas.

Residents with questions about the vaccines can visit VaccinateALL58.com to learn more.

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