Given the limited initial supply of COVID-19 vaccines, distribution will be limited at first and increase over time. Determinations will be based on reaching critical populations to reduce morbidity and mortality rates due to the transmission of COVID-19.
Phase I includes the following:
- Those “persons at risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through their work in any role in direct health care or long-term care settings… and includes persons at direct risk of exposure in their non-clinical roles, such as, but not limited to, environmental services, patient transport, or interpretation.”
- In addition for Orange County, law enforcement who work in high positive COVID rate areas such as Anaheim and Santa Ana as well as correctional facilities and homeless shelters experiencing outbreaks can get vaccinated at this time.
- People age 65 and older, giving priority to those who are most vulnerable and with chronic health conditions.
All these are actively getting vaccinated.
- Acute care, psychiatric and correctional facility hospitals
- Skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and similar settings for older or medically vulnerable individuals and residents in these settings
- Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and others providing emergency medical services.
- Dialysis centers
- Intermediate care facilities for persons who need non-continuous nursing supervision and supportive care.
- Home health care and in-home supportive services
- Community health workers, including promotoras
- Public health field staff
- Primary Care clinics, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Centers, correctional facility clinics and urgent care clinics.
- Specialty clinics
- Laboratory workers
- Dental and other oral health clinics
- Pharmacy staff not working in settings at higher tiers.