How Californians with obesity — and other medical conditions — can get vaccines starting Monday
Starting Monday, March 15, California will make a new group eligible for vaccines: those aged 16 to 64 with disabilities or preexisting conditions, including severe obesity.
Those with a body mass index of 40 or higher can qualify for the vaccine. CDC data from 2019 found that more than a quarter of Californians had a BMI of 30 or higher.
Those with medical conditions or disabilities are not required to provide outside verification, the California Department of Public Health in its update published Thursday, citing the need to protect confidentiality. Instead, they will be asked to sign a self-attestation saying they meet the criteria.
Many states are prioritizing those with higher BMI for vaccination. In Wisconsin, for instance, those with a BMI of 25 or higher will be prioritized for the vaccine starting in a couple of weeks. Other states, such as New York and Texas, have set the threshold at a BMI of 30.
When asked why California has set its criteria at a BMI of 40, CDPH in an e-mail said the department has prioritized those at the very highest risk, given the limited supply of vaccines.
BMI has been criticized by many over the years as being an inadequate measure of one’s health.
But a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed obesity defined as a BMI of 30 or higher increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Higher BMI is linked directly to one’s risks for hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and death, especially for those younger than 65, the study found.
Verifying conditions
Meanwhile, although CDPH said people won’t need to present a proof of their conditions, it still advises bringing a form of verification, especially if you are going to public vaccination and pharmacy clinics.
Verification could include documents from health care or mental health providers or an official government document from a public program serving people with high-risk disabilities, CDPH said.
CDPH said it strongly recommends that those with preexisting conditions or disabilities to seek a vaccination with their primary health care provider or system.
The department also said the state is rolling out community pop-up clinics for people with high-risk medical conditions and disabilities. Local pharmacies may have limited supply as they prioritize school and child care staff, the department said.
Other conditions that could get one qualified for the vaccine include cancer, chronic kidney disease of stage 4 or above, Down syndrome, pregnancy, heart conditions such as coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes with a hemoglobin A1C greater than 7.5%.
Those with a disability can qualify if a COVID-19 infection is likely to result in life-threatening illness or death, if getting COVID-19 will limit their ability to receive ongoing care or services, or if their conditions will make it hard for them to get proper care for COVID-19. People in the above criteria could include those in regional centers, independent living centers and in-home supportive services, among others, CDPH said.
Not everyone eligible for the vaccine will immediately be able to secure an appointment, the department said.
“Appointments for the estimated 4.4 million Californians with these conditions or disabilities will not immediately be available to all who are eligible,” the department said. “As supply increases throughout the spring, more appointments for vaccines will become available.”
Andy Imparato, executive director of Disability Rights California, praised the state’s new guidance, saying forcing people to get a doctor’s note would create an equity problem. The guidance also prevents doctors from being swamped with their patients’ requests, he said.
“Not everyone has access to doctors,” he said. “It’s a trade-off. Anything you do to address fraud has potential to create barriers that would limit access to those who need to get access.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "How Californians with obesity — and other medical conditions — can get vaccines starting Monday."
