The Department of Health Services (DHS) announced that new groups will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 1. The newly eligible groups, initially announced in January, include in priority order:
- education and child care staff;
- people enrolled in Medicaid long-term care programs;
- some public-facing essential workers;
- non-frontline essential health care personnel and;
- facility staff and residents in congregate living settings.
While these groups are eligible on March 1, educators and child care providers should anticipate receiving vaccine in March and early April, and the remaining groups can plan to be vaccinated in April and May.
Due to the limited supply of vaccine doses, people 65 and older, educators, and child care workers will be prioritized for the vaccine. Based on the current allocation numbers, it will take about two months to vaccinate these groups.
Groups eligible March 1 were recommended for the vaccine based on relative vulnerability and risk of exposure to COVID-19. This will add more than 700,000 people to the number able to get vaccinated.