The city of Los Angeles has expanded vaccine eligibility for people age 16 and older.
As first reported by the Los Angeles Times Saturday, the online system for booking appointments under the health care provider Carbon Health now allows people to select 16 and up as an option and continue the appointment-making process. It appears other providers will still begin allowing this age group to get shots starting on April 15, the date set by state health officials for all counties.
The massive expansion in eligibility comes five days ahead of schedule. Everyone age 50 and older became able to get a shot beginning on April 1.
Eligible residents can make an appointment online to get vaccinated at Cal State L.A., Dodger Stadium, University of Southern California, Pierce College and other city sites. However, not all locations are vaccinating 16 and 17-year-olds.
While making an appointment, some of the locations with available vaccination slots are listed as being for those 18 and older only.
It depends on the type of vaccine being offered.
Currently, only the Pfizer vaccine is approved for people ages 16 and 17. The other two vaccines being used in the United States, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, are available to those 18 and older.
The city is expected to receive nearly 60,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine and 56,000 doses of Pfizer, officials said in a news release Sunday. That’s in addition to 15,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine currently in the city’s possession.
Among other California counties to recently open up vaccine eligibility to all adults are Santa Clara County in the Bay Area and Fresno County in Central California, the Associated Press reported.