Californians Told To Expect Appointment Backlogs Ahead Of New Vaccine Eligibility
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California is on the cusp of making the COVID vaccine available to almost everyone in the state.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday promised more supply will be ready by mid-April and that by April 15, eligibility will expand to anyone 16 and older.
"There's not just light at the end of the tunnel, there's bright light at the end of the tunnel," Newsom said.
But local health officials are expecting delays and backups as lines get longer. On April 15, more than 25 million people in California will be eligible to get the vaccine, but only a fraction would have access to appointments. Newsom said the state only gets a couple of million doses per week
"It's a matter of patience. Just wait another week, get in there as soon as you can when the registration opens and register when you can for the next clinic," said Russ Brown, the spokesperson for Yuba and Sutter counties.
Brown said supply has been steady, but there's no way to predict what the counties will get next month. Most people will not be able to book appointments more than a week in advance.
"There's a lot of efforts to keep things within the county as much as possible," Brown said.
Californians 50 and older are eligible to get vaccinated starting April 1. Many providers will allow you to sign up several days earlier than that.
Placer County health officials said one of the best ways to get an appointment is to go through your primary care provider.
Newsom said even with expanded vaccine supplies, it's expected to take several months for willing Californians to get vaccinated.