ARIZONA NEWS
Arizona releases timeline for age-based COVID-19 vaccine prioritization
PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Health Services released an updated COVID-19 vaccine prioritization chart that shows a tentative guideline when each age group can receive the shot at state-run sites.
Anyone 55 years of age or older is now eligible for the vaccine after being lowered from the 65 and older eligibility group in priority phase 1B on Monday.
The age group is tentatively scheduled to lower by another 10 years to 45 to 54 in April, 35 to 44 in parts of April and May followed by those 16 to 34 in May.
Local health departments may transition to the next age category when 55% of the current age category has received the vaccine or if there is less demand.
Vaccinations will continue for groups in phase 1A and prioritized phase 1B groups including healthcare workers and healthcare support occupations; emergency and medical service workers; long-term care facility staff and residents; education and childcare workers and those in protective services occupations.
The chart also lists frontline essential workers as eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine from March through summer, but did not include when each group would be eligible based on occupation.
Frontline essential workers included are those in food and agriculture; grocery store, convenience store and carniceria workers; those in the U.S. postal service; manufacturing workers; public transit workers including buses, light rail, Uber, Lyft, taxis and rideshare; state and local government workers as well as funeral home workers.
Since vaccine distribution began in December, 1.85 million doses have been administered and more than 600,000 Arizonans have received both doses.
For information about availability across the state, the ADHS website has a vaccine-finder page with a map of locations and information about registration.
The website also has an eligibility-checker tool that lets you know if you are cleared to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine.
Check with your local health departments for sites that aren’t run by the state, because eligibility can vary by county.
