Roughly 85% of seniors over 65 in Long Beach have received COVID-19 vaccine, mayor says
Mayor Robert Garcia said Wednesday that 85% of seniors over 65 have received the COVID-19 vaccine, a higher rate than much of the state and nearby health jurisdictions.
“We’ve had a quicker and more successful rate (of vaccinations) than the rest of California,” he said at a media briefing. “This is very good news.”
The mayor said the city has administered 205,000 doses of vaccines, including 130,000 first doses. Roughly 36% of the total population over 16 has been vaccinated, he said.
The city is looking to open up eligibility for a COVID-19 vaccine to everyone over 16 very soon, possibly earlier than the April 15 deadline set by the state, he said.
The city is looking closely at its vaccine supply to determine when to open up vaccines to the general public, Garcia said. It has offered the vaccine to eligible groups days, sometimes weeks, sooner than other parts of the state.
Currently anyone over 50, emergency and health care workers, educators, food workers and some others are eligible.
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