Clinica Sierra Vista offering COVID-19 vaccines to people with eligible health conditions

As California expands eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines to people with certain high-risk medical conditions, Clinica Sierra Vista announced it is opening appointments to those individuals.

The eligible health conditions are:

■■ Cancer, current with weakened immune system

■■ Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or above

■■ Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent

■■ Down syndrome

■■ Solid organ transplant, leading to a weakened immune system

■■ Pregnancy

■■ Sickle cell disease

■■ Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension)

■■ Severe obesity (Body Mass Index greater than 40 kg/m2)

■■ Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%

Anyone meeting the eligibility requirements will be asked to sign a self-attestation that they meet the criteria for high-risk medical conditions or disabilities, Clincia Sierra said in a news release Sunday.

Also, the health care provider said, people who live or work in a congregate residential setting, such as an incarceration/detention facility, homeless shelter, or behavioral health facility, will be eligible. This includes people experiencing homelessness, who may transition into congregate settings at short notice.

Finally, public transit workers, including airport workers for commercial airlines (but not private airplanes), will be eligible.

Updated eligibility requirements can be found here: www.cdph.ca.gov/.../VaccineAllocationGuidelines.aspx.

Appointments can be made at clinicasierravista.org/vaccinations.

The Mission at Kern County will vaccinate about 100 shelter and program clients today.

“It has been a long time coming,” says Carlos Baldovinos, executive director. “Our most vulnerable neighbors now have an opportunity to be vaccinated.”

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be administered by VIPMD Primary and Specialty Care.

“With more and more people getting vaccinated each day, we are starting to turn the corner,” Baldovinos said.