The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has introduced changes to its COVID-19 vaccine distribution approach, focusing on providing access to uninsured or under-insured individuals.
Vaccination clinics run by the City are now exclusively providing monovalent vaccines following the Food and Drug Administration’s deauthorization of bivalent vaccines. The new version of the vaccines has been specifically designed to target currently-circulating strains of COVID-19.
The vaccines offer significant protection against serious COVID-19 complications and hospitalization, reducing the risk of severe illness or death, according to a public statement by the City. The updated vaccines are licensed for individuals ages 12 years and older, and are authorized for emergency use for children aged 6 months to 11 years.
The City is extending this service to uninsured or underinsured residents only. Insured individuals are encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through their healthcare providers and pharmacies such as CVS, Albertsons, Walgreens, Vons, and Pavilions, all of which will offer the updated monovalent vaccine.
“Ensuring [the] vaccine is accessible to everyone is important for the health and wellbeing of our entire community,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a statement. “Dedicating City-run vaccination clinics to support those who are underserved will help increase people’s access to the vaccine, which in turn will help prevent severe illness and hospitalizations.”
While the vaccine remains accessible to most U.S. adults through private health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid plans, it’s essential to address the needs of the 25 to 30 million uninsured adults and those with insufficient insurance coverage. This update aligns the City’s vaccine operations with the Center for Disease Control’s Bridge Access Program.
The Health Department is offering the updated COVID-19 vaccine free of charge to residents ages 12 and older, starting immediately. Vaccines are now available for children aged 6 months and older as of Wednesday, Sept. 27.
Starting on Oct. 3, private health insurance plans must cover the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine within 15 business days of CDC recommendations, as required by the Affordable Care Act and CARES policy. However, utilizing an out-of-network provider or pharmacy may result in additional charges, depending on individual insurance plans.
“There is great importance in receiving the updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall to protect yourself against severe disease and hospitalization,” said City Health Officer Anissa Davis in a public statement. “Vaccinations are one of the most important ways to combat COVID-19, especially with the continuous development of new variants.”
The Los Angeles County Health Department monitors wastewater concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 to gain insights into community transmission levels. According to a statement by the County, the most recent data indicates that SARS CoV-2 wastewater concentrations were at 38% of the 2022-2023 Winter Peak levels.
Concentrations have been gradually increasing in the county over the past seven weeks since Aug. 2, when wastewater concentrations were at 12% of the Winter 2022-23 peak levels.
As new variants continue to mutate and emerge, the FDA anticipates that people may have to get vaccinated for COVID-19 each year, similar to the seasonal influenza vaccine.
The recommended vaccine dosage varies depending on age and condition, with the following guidelines:
- Children ages 5 and older should receive one dose of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine.
- For children aged 6 months to 4 years, the schedule depends on whether they’ve previously received the vaccine; they should receive an initial series of the vaccine (two doses of Moderna or three doses of Pfizer).
- Moderately or severely immunocompromised residents should be given a 3-dose initial series of the vaccine, including at least one dose of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, and possibly one or more additional 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine doses.
To find available vaccination appointments, individuals can visit MyTurn.ca.gov.
As of now, the Long Beach Health Department has administered 353,961 COVID-19 vaccines and boosters since 2020.
For the latest information on City-run vaccination clinic schedules, visit longbeach.gov/vaxLB. For the most recent updates on COVID-19 and information about the City of Long Beach’s efforts, visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity and @LBHealthDept on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
