Los Angeles County expects to receive its first supply of a coronavirus vaccine as early as next week. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer says an initial allocation of 84,000 doses is anticipated.
Ferrer says this first allocation won't be sufficient to vaccinate all the health care workers at acute care hospitals, who will be prioritized under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines.
The very first doses could be available here in Southern California by this weekend.
"You have to make an educated decision so that is what I have done and that is what I encourage the public to do is listen to people in the field who have the education and listen to what they are saying and make their own informed decision," ER Dr. Angelique Campen at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, says.
This would be the Pfizer vaccine that's now in use in England. Despite some initial concern about possible long term side effects, she's convinced this is a vaccine worth taking and she will.
The initial rollout will be limited for front line workers and the most vulnerable. For some, wanting to be vaccinated against the killer virus, the wait could be as long as next summer.