The vaccination days against COVID-19 began in December of last year
The beginning of 2021 was marked by the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine in various parts of the world. In the United States, Los Angeles County is one of the places where the pandemic has been the most severe. Vaccination began since December last year and doses were applied to personnel working in intensive care at COVID-19 hospitals, nurses, paramedics and emergency technicians, among other health professionals.
According to the county Department of Public Health, the vaccines that have shown the greatest effectiveness are those of Pfizer and Moderna, since they have managed to prevent the disease by 95% during their phase 3 trials.
However, they stressed that so far it has not been shown that the doses prevent SARS-CoV-2 from being transmitted, so they urged the population to continue wearing face masks, maintain social distance and avoid meetings.
Vaccination Phases in Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, the application of the vaccine will be done in several parts. The first of it has been called Phase 1A. In this, it is contemplated that health workers who are on the front line to attend the pandemic, directly or indirectly, will receive the first application against COVID-19.
So far, health professionals from intensive care hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, correctional facilities, dialysis centers, emergency services, cancer centers, home health care organizations, public health field personnel, primary and urgent care clinics have been immunized.
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But, as the phase is not over yet, community health workers in the field, settings serving the homeless, regional centers, health personnel conducting COVID-19 tests, workers in mortuaries, dental clinics, laboratories, optometry center, pharmacies, school and university health centers, specialized clinics and surgery centers remain to receive the vaccine.
Later, Phase 1B will begin in February and will end in March of this year. This, in turn, will be done at two levels, the first will be for people aged 75 or over, as well as for people at risk of exposure to the virus in jobs in the education sector, childcare, emergency services, food and agriculture.
In the second level, older adults between 65 and 74 years of age and people who are dedicated to transport and logistics, industrial, commercial, residential and shelter facilities will be vaccinated. In addition, prisoners and homeless people may be vaccinated.
Although there are not yet enough vaccines for Phase 1C, it will tentatively begin in March and by April everyone in the following groups should have been offered at least one dose of vaccination.
At this stage, people between 50 and 64 years old can be vaccinated, also those between 16 and 49 years old with adverse health conditions or disabilities that make them more likely to contract COVID-19.
The workers of water and wastewater, defense, energy, chemicals and hazardous materials, communications, financial services, government operations and essential functions based in the community also can get the vaccine at this time.
Finally, there is a proposal for Phase 2 that has not yet been voted, and can still be modified, in which people between 16 to 64 years of age without high-risk conditions can obtain the antidote to COVID-19.
However, it remains for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to accept it and for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to decide whether to modify it or keep it that way.