WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2021) Every resident of California who reaches the age of 16 will become eligible for a coronavirus vaccine on April 15, Governor Gavin Newsom said.
"With vaccine supply increasing and by expanding eligibility to more Californians, the light at the end of the tunnel continues to get brighter," Newsom said in a press release on Thursday. "We remain focused on equity as we extend vaccine eligibility to those 50 and over starting April 1, and those 16 and older starting April 15."
California expects its current allocation of 1.8 million first and second vaccine doses per week to increase to 2.5 million in the first half of April and 3 million doses in the second half of the month, the release said.
The state also plans increased allocations of vaccines to providers in the hardest-hit communities, typically those with large minority populations, the release added.
Of the three vaccines authorized by the US food and Drug Administration, only the Pfizer-BioNTech jab is approved for 16- and 17-year-olds, while people must be at least 18 to qualify for the vaccines produced by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
