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Some workers, disability advocates fear being left out as California shifts to age-based COVID-19 vaccine priority

Drivers pull up to a mass vaccination site in the parking lot of the Forum in Inglewood. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Monday that the state would shift vaccine priority to an age-based eligibility structure has sparked concerns from groups representing some essential workers and disabled people who may now have to wait longer to get vaccinated.

Little has been shared as to what that would mean in practice. Before Newsom’s announcement, the state intended to give priority to several new groups after California is done vaccinating people 65 and older, including residents in incarcerated and homeless settings, essential workers and individuals with underlying health conditions.

It’s now unclear when those groups would be vaccinated.

Further details will be released as the state progresses through the current Phase 1B Tier 1, a spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health told The Times. But the timeline for when those currently eligible — long-term care facility staff and residents, healthcare workers and adults 65 and older — will be fully vaccinated continues to change as vaccine allocation numbers continue to shift.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.