An important vaccine update from Kaiser CEO Greg A. Adams (2/22/2021)

COVID-19 updates

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I wrote to you last month to share that there was a limited supply of vaccine nationwide, that vaccine doses were being given directly to each state by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and that Kaiser Permanente was receiving a small percentage of California’s vaccine supply. I also shared that we were actively working with the state and others to increase vaccine supply proportionate to our membership.

I’m pleased to share that the state has increased Kaiser Permanente’s weekly vaccine allocation to better match the number of members we serve. For example, next week we’re scheduled to receive 20% of California’s vaccine supply. And, as the state receives more vaccine from the CDC, we expect our supply to continue rising to help us vaccinate the 1 in 4 Californians who are Kaiser Permanente members, as well as residents of the broader communities we serve.

Eligibility and appointments

With additional doses on the way, and a more consistent supply moving forward, we’re now scheduling vaccine appointments several weeks out. This will make it easier for you to get an appointment and plan ahead for your vaccination. This week, we also began reaching out to members 65 and older to schedule vaccine appointments — starting with the people at highest risk of exposure or complications due to COVID-19.

You may also have heard that the state of California plans to expand vaccine eligibility soon for people 16 to 64 with disabilities or severe underlying conditions that put them at high risk if they contract COVID-19. Based on state guidance, we’ll continue to expand vaccinations for priority groups by looking at age, health risks, and job types.

Our commitment to your health

To date, we’ve vaccinated 666,419 Californians, including more than 125,000 health care workers and a large percentage of our members 75 and older. With more vaccine expected in the weeks and months ahead, we’re increasing our capacity to deliver more than 600,000 vaccine doses per week in California. We’ve partnered with others to open vaccination hubs at Cal Poly Pomona and at Moscone Center in San Francisco. Like all vaccination sites in California, these hubs are open to the public, including Kaiser Permanente members.

Kaiser Permanente’s longstanding commitment to health equity extends to COVID-19 vaccination. In partnership with the state of California, we’ll also be opening additional vaccination hubs and temporary clinics to make the vaccine available to our most vulnerable and underserved populations and communities, including those with limited mobility, disabilities, or other access challenges.

With vaccine supply steadily increasing, we look forward to the day when all our members and communities can be vaccinated. In the meantime, we remain committed to working in partnership with the state of California, other health care providers, and businesses to vaccinate everyone we can using every available resource.

Vaccination information on kp.org

We’ve updated kp.org to make it easier to find the latest information on who we’re vaccinating now, when you’ll be able to get the vaccine, and our total vaccination progress across California. Visit kp.org/covidvaccine or call the KP COVID Vaccine InfoLine at 1-855-550-0951 for the latest information.

Please continue to protect yourself and your loved ones — wear a mask, wash your hands, and physically distance.

Sincerely,

Greg A. Adams
Chair and CEO