Gov. Newsom visits vaccine site as California expands eligibility to people 16 and over

Californians who are 16 and older are now officially eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and can make an appointment on the state’s MyTurn website.

The expansion of eligibility on Thursday comes a few weeks after the state also made residents 50 years and older eligible to receive the shot.

To make an appointment, go to myturn.ca.gov, fill out your information and enter your address. The website will show you if there are available appointments near you.

Californians aged 16 and 17 should make sure to secure an appointment at a site that offers the Pfizer vaccine, the only shot authorized for people under 18. Minors should also go receive the shot with a parent or guardian.

If you can’t find an available appointment at larger city or county-run sites, many local pharmacies are an option. CVS pharmacies are among those that opened up eligibility as well.

According to the most recent data from the California Department of Public Health, nearly a third of the population is now fully vaccinated, which equates to nearly 10 million people.

Another approximately six million California residents are partially vaccinated.

Those numbers are expected to only increase now that more people are eligible to receive the vaccine.

“While it is true that we had a temporary pause, a temporary setback with one of the approved vaccines,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday, “J&J represents just 4% of our weekly dose administration. So we are more than able to make up for that.”

Newsom spoke about California’s vaccine progress from a pop-up vaccination site in Union City (Alameda County). He said pop-up sites like those are key in achieving an equitable distribution.

“The number that I’m most proud of, though not yet satisfied with, is the 4.84 million (doses) that have gone into our most impacted communities in this state,” he said.

This week, state officials directed counties and other providers to pause use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as recommended by the federal government as agencies examine a possible and rare side effect that can cause blood clots.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said that vaccine supply “will not be significantly impacted” and that this will not affect the state’s broader plan reopen California’s economy in mid-June.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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