More States Are Widening Eligibility For Covid Vaccination

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Georgia Expands COVID Vaccine Eligibility To Age 55
Georgians as young as 55 and others with high-risk medical conditions will be eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine under plans outlined Wednesday by Gov. Brian Kemp, setting up a potential bottleneck for doses. State officials say the change will mean that an additional 3.3 million Georgians will be eligible for the vaccines starting Monday. However, the list of high-risk conditions will likely make the vast majority of Georgia adults qualified to get the shots. The lengthy list covers a spectrum of health conditions all too common in Georgians, ranging from cancer, heart conditions and diabetes to high blood pressure, pregnancy and asthma. Also newly eligible are those who are overweight or obese. About two-thirds of Georgians would fit the definition, according to one federal study. (Stirgus, Bluestein and Scott-Trubey, 3/10)

Houston Chronicle: Texans 50 And Older Can Receive A COVID Vaccine Starting Next Monday
All Texans 50 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday, expanding the pool of possible recipients to nearly half of the state’s population. Now the question is how to find a shot. So far, 4.7 million Texans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, a 15.8 percent vaccination rate that is one of the worst in the nation. State officials say they are going as fast as they can. They have complained the federal government is not sending enough vaccine because it is using old population data to calculate the Texas share. (Harris, Garcia and Wu, 3/10)

Tampa Bay Times: Florida Close To Opening Vaccinations To All, DeSantis Says
Florida will open coronavirus vaccinations to people as young as 55 “relatively soon,” then make shots available to everyone, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday during an appearance in Sumter County. The state’s age-based eligibility for vaccination is 65 and up, and it will move to 60 and up starting Monday, DeSantis said. (Reeves, 3/10)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Vaccine Eligibility Questions Raised While Appointments Go Unfilled
Nevada health officials on Wednesday would not say whether they are considering Clark County’s plea to lower the vaccine eligibility age to 55 years. Instead, they urged the public to ensure people in the 65-to-69 age group knew they were eligible for immunization and how they could schedule an appointment. “We need your help in getting the word out to Nevadans who are currently eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination,” state COVID-19 response director Caleb Cage said. “Please help a friend and neighbor or parents or a loved one get connected to vaccine in their area.” (Scott Davidson and Hynes, 3/10)

Axios: Health Officials Debate Vaccine Priority For People With Pre-Existing Conditions 
Most states are making people with underlying conditions eligible for coronavirus vaccines, but which conditions differ by state and sometimes even by county, the New York Times reports. With health care workers and the oldest Americans increasingly vaccinated, public health officials are grappling with who should be next in line — a decision that could have life-or-death consequences. (Owens, 3/10)

In related news about getting the shot —

Fox News: Some Oakland, Calif., Residents Mistakenly Alerted About Vaccine Underdosing: Report
Officials with the California Health Department were scrambling to allay residents’ fears this week after too many people received a letter telling them they may have received a too-weak dosage of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine. The letters were supposed to go to people who visited the Oakland Coliseum vaccination site but by mistake the letters also were delivered to people who used the Eastmont Mall site, FOX 2 of the Bay Area reported. Either way, there was no cause for alarm regardless of which site people visited, health officials told the station. (Calicchio, 3/11)

CBS News: 70% Of Employees Want COVID-19 Vaccine Required To Return To Offices, Survey Shows 
U.S. employees who are working from the confines — and safety — of their homes during the pandemic appear to be satisfied to stay put, and fear that returning to the office is too risky unless their employers require all co-workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a survey published Wednesday by the employment website Glassdoor. A fulll 70% of employees said their companies should institute a vaccine mandate before calling workers back to the office, according to the Glassdoor survey. (Cerullo, 3/10)

North Carolina Health News: Will Your Dentist Give You A COVID-19 Vaccine?
As more North Carolinians become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, they could be rolling up their sleeves at a dentist’s office for that jab. The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners issued rules on March 3 for dentists who want to help administer vaccines. In early February, Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order that opened the door for more types of health care providers to help get people vaccinated in North Carolina, including licensed dentists. (Blythe, 3/11)

KHN: Meet The Retired Nurse Who Could Give Covid Shots But Couldn’t Get One 
Martha Gallagher, a 75-year-old retired school nurse, wanted to volunteer for the Delaware Medical Reserve Corps to administer covid-19 vaccines. She knew Delaware might need more vaccinators and thought, “Why not do something to help get the vaccine out?” Plus, Gallagher figured, it would be a good way for her to get vaccinated, too. (Knight, 3/11)

KHN: Vaccine Altruists Find Appointments For Those Who Can’t
Ana Guevara was determined to get a covid vaccine for her mother, 85-year-old Adelina Coto, but she needed help. Guevara, a full-time nanny in Los Angeles, didn’t have the time or knowledge to search for appointments online. Guevara’s son, a school district employee, lacked the time to park himself in front of a computer waiting for new appointments to drop. Then Guevara’s boss connected her with a group that volunteers to help people like her mother get vaccinated. (Almendrala, 3/11)