All Contra Costa County residents ages 50 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine following an increase in the county's supply of doses, Contra Costa Health Services announced Monday.
Contra Costa County is the second Bay Area county to expand its vaccine eligibility to people 50 and up, following Solano County's recent expansion.
"We look forward to the coming months when we can do away with vaccine eligibility, when anyone and everyone is eligible," Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chair Diane Burgis said in a statement.
Last week, Contra Costa County extended eligibility to residents ages 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions like cancer, obesity and heart disease, but that qualifier will now be lifted for those over 50.
The county also continues to vaccinate residents over age 65, as well as those in essential sectors like health care, food and agriculture and education.
More than 336,000 residents across the county have received at least one dose of the vaccine to date, including 96% of residents ages 75 and older.
Roughly 1.15 million people live in the county, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Some 235,000 county residents are between ages 50 and 64, according to CCHS.
"We are making good progress vaccinating those in the groups already eligible and will now continue to prioritize more of the most vulnerable groups in our community," county Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said.
County officials have set a goal of administering 1 million vaccine doses by July 4. To date, 515,520 doses have been given, according to county data.
Eligible Contra Costa County residents can request a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online or by calling (833) 829-2626.
—Bay City News