Long Beach residents aged 16 and older can immediately get vaccinated against COVID-19, with the city announcing Thursday, April 8 that it will offer doses on a walk-up basis at the Long Beach Convention Center.
Mayor Robert Garcia said the walk-up shots were being offered starting Thursday and continuing Monday through Saturday from 11am – 2pm at the convention center, for city residents only.
A limited supply of Pfzier vaccine will be available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 8 through April 10.
Beginning April 15, those who work in Long Beach who are 16 years and older will also be eligible.
Based on supply availability, approximately 500 appointments will be available each day. If the vaccination site runs out of doses on any given day, people who were unable to get a shot will be immediately scheduled for a return appointment, Garcia said.
Three approved vaccines have been proven to be highly effective against severe COVID-19 illness and death. Based on supply availability, the City of Long Beach dispenses the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the single dose Janssen vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is approved to be administered to those ages 16 and older.
For those who had prescheduled appointments, their vaccinations will continue to be on reserve for them until their appointment time.
Statewide vaccine eligibility for people aged 16 and older does not technically begin until April 15. Beginning April 15, all residents, and those who work in Long Beach, ages 16 and older may make vaccination appointments online via My Turn, the State’s COVID-19 vaccine notification and appointment system, or by calling 833.422.4255.
But the walk-up eligibility puts Long Beach, which has its own municipal health department, ahead of other parts of the county.
Los Angeles County does not plan to expand eligibility to those 16 and older until April 15. County Public Health Director noted Wednesday that more than 5 million people in the county are already eligible for shots, and many have not yet received even a first dose.
As of April 8, there have been 52,398 COVID-19 cases in Long Beach and 920 people have died from the virus. More than 229,000 vaccines have been administered, which includes approximately 138,700 first doses and 90,300 second doses. All vaccines are administered free of charge and have been provided directly by the federal government.
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