Starting Monday, California will have the capacity to administer 3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine each week, state health officials said.
The increased capacity is thanks to a partnership with Blue Shield of California. The health plan provider will take over the management of the entire vaccination system, giving the state accurate numbers on how many doses are going out and to where.
“Ultimately, all of the ordering is actually going to happen in a centralized way at the state level,” said Blue Shield of California CEO Paul Markovich.
That will allow for better data collection, and better data can lead to better equity in distribution, he told KCBS Radio.
The state will have the capacity to give out 3 million doses a week starting March 1, and the capacity to administer 4 million a week by April.
However, that does still depend on the supply levels coming from the federal government.
The increased capacity won’t change who can get the vaccine, and counties can still be stricter than the state.
But, it may change how Californians sign up for the shot, said Secretary of Government Operations Yolanda Richardson, because everyone will use My Turn.
“Both providers will be on My Turn, so we can have a consistent experience for Californians, no matter if they’re a Kaiser member, or they normally go to a health clinic, or they are uninsured,” she told KCBS Radio.
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