Arizona on Monday announced two of its state-run vaccination sites are now open to anyone 55 years of age and older as the first step in moving to an age-based model fo distributing the COVID-19 vaccine.
The decision is part of a hybrid age-based approach the state is taking to its vaccine rollout moving forward, state health department director Dr. Cara Christ said. The state will be prioritizing those 55 and older and a specific group of front line essential workers.
“One of the things that was difficult with the priorities as we moved through was proving that you were eligible to get the vaccine,” Christ said. For example, figuring out how people would prove that they have an underlying health condition, she said.
By moving to an age-based approach, most of the people with underlying conditions will get vaccinated early in the process anyway, she said. But she emphasized that Arizona is not taking a purely age-based approach to the COVID-19 vaccination like Connecticut.
Once 55% of the targeted age group’s population is vaccinated in each jurisdiction or officials feel that there is no longer demand for vaccine, vaccines will open to those who are in the next age group down, Christ said. Once 55% of the 55-to-64-year-old age group is vaccinated, the next group up will be those who are 45 to 54.
Once Arizonans 45 and older are vaccinated, that will cover between 68% and 79% of state residents with high-risk underlying medical conditions, state officials said.
The change came about after a unanimous recommendation by the Arizona Vaccine and Antiviral Prioritization Advisory Committee, which includes state, local, and tribal experts, and health care partners.
At the same time Arizona opens up vaccinations to those 55 and older, it will start working with employers of certain front line essential workers, she said.
“It will be a narrower group moving forward that the counties can prioritize,” she said. “What we’re asking the counties to do is to work with employers on employer-based strategies to ensure we are targeting those front line essential workers.”
The state’s stadium sites in Maricopa County — at State Farm Stadium in Glendale and at Phoenix Municipal Stadium — will open approximately 50,000 vaccination appointments at noon Tuesday for visits starting March 4.
Arizonans 55 and older also will be eligible to schedule appointments at pharmacies and federally qualified health centers participating in the federal vaccination programs.
Ninety percent of Arizona’s deaths from COVID-19 have been among those 55 and older, state data shows, and about 65% of those hospitalized because of COVID-19 are in that age group.
Including adults 55 and older in the vaccine prioritization category will cover between 56% and 66%of Arizonans with medical conditions that put them at severe risk for adverse outcomes from COVID-19, state officials said.
Arizona is opting to take an age-based approach to its vaccine rollout from now on, while also working to vaccinate front line essential workers like those who work in food services, including restaurants and grocery stores, Christ explained.
“What we’re going to work with the counties on is they may look at a Walmart or a Fry’s and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got vaccine and we are going to vaccinate your workers at a pod for your employees,'” she said.
Arizona had been vaccinating people only in phases 1A and priority group 1B, which includes health care workers, first responders, long-term care facility staff, long-term care residents, people ages 75 and older, K-12 school staff and childcare workers, law enforcement/protective services, and people 65 and older.
The new hybrid model means expanding the front line essential worker definition, Christ confirmed. Some of the changes will be dependent on individual counties, because some counties have already started expanding who they are vaccinating beyond the priority 1B group.
Counties, and the state-operated vaccine site at the University of Arizona in Tucson are expected to adopt the hybrid age-based model, too, she said.
“This critical update provides more clarity for Arizonans and will result in rapid administration of vaccine to our most vulnerable populations,” Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said in a written statement.
“Continuing to vaccinate older Arizonans against COVID-19 will help protect those at risk and cover a majority of Arizonans with chronic medical conditions. And, this hybrid approach will ensure an equitable distribution of vaccine to our front line workers who are working with the public every day.”
State officials say they will be adding data to the Arizona Department of Health Services website showing the percentage of the population vaccinated in each age category to provide information about when counties may be progressing to the next age category.
The strategy allows everyone in the state to know approximately when they will be eligible to receive vaccine, state officials said.
“The data shows when you hit that 55 and above (age group), that’s a significant increased risk for hospitalization and death when we look at our data here in Arizona,” Christ said. “As you get older you have more chronic medical conditions. So this is going to help reach those older Arizonans that have those chronic medical conditions quicker than if we waited to do all the essential workers and then get to 1C.”
The 1C group had included people with underlying health conditions. Now, those with underlying health conditions will be picked up in their age groups, Christ said. Information on the phase each county is vaccinating, the number of doses ordered by each county, and location of vaccination sites can be found at azhealth.gov/findvaccine.
Those in groups prioritized for vaccination can register for appointments at State Farm Stadium, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and multiple other vaccination sites at podvaccine.azdhs.gov/.
People without computer access or needing extra help registering can call 844-542-8201 to be connected with someone who can help. People can use the patient portal at podvaccine.azdhs.gov to make an appointment for a relative in a prioritized group, such as someone 55 and older.
Reach health care reporter Stephanie Innes at Stephanie.Innes@gannett.com or at 602-444-8369. Follow her on Twitter @stephanieinnes.
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