Long Beach Announces Plan For Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines

The Long Beach Health Department has announced that it will receive up to 3,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and vaccinations should begin by the end of the year. 

The Food and Drug Administration or FDA is completing the review of the Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer vaccine, which is anticipated to begin shipping on Dec. 14. In addition to the 3,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the city expects to receive up to 11,600 doses of the Moderna vaccine in the weeks ahead. Critical populations, like hospital workers, will have first access to the vaccine.

The Health Department is managing the vaccine distribution process and will be following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control or CDC and the State. The City has the infrastructure to receive, store, distribute and dispense the vaccine.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses and provide the same efficacy. The difference between the two vaccines is the storage requirements.  

Vaccine Administration Overview

There will be several phases to the overall vaccination plan. Phases are determined by the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP has given guidance on prioritizing those who are at highest risk of infection, like our hospital workers and other frontline workers, and later expanding to other essential workers, adults over the age of 65 and those with underlying health conditions. This prioritization, established to benefit the entire community, is organized into a set of phases, sub phases and tiers. 

Phase 1a will be the first group to have access to the vaccine. The number of people in this group is larger than the quantity of doses in the first shipment, therefore Phase 1a is divided into three tiers. The city expects everyone in Phase 1a to be vaccinated within the first three months of next year.

• Tier 1 of Phase 1a includes acute care and skilled nursing facilities, paramedics and EMTs and dialysis centers.
• Tier 2 includes intermediate and home health care, community/public health field staff and primary care clinics.
• Most other healthcare settings including laboratories, dentist offices and pharmacies will be in Tier 3.

In Phase 1b, as more vaccine allotments are received, they will be offered to other essential workers which includes refuse workers, grocery workers and those who have been working during the pandemic in an essential job function. The city anticipates this phase will begin in March or April of 2021. Phase 1c includes high-risk populations of adults over age 65 and adults with high-risk medical conditions.

During Phase 2, the vaccine will be available to the general public. Administration of the vaccine to the general public is expected in early summer.