The state has received a five percent bump in the number of COVID vaccines that it can administer this week as a result of an increase in Moderna production. Governor John Bel Edwards says 408 providers in all 64 parishes will administer 86-thousand first COVID vaccine doses this week to those 65 and older.
“It is exciting having been managing this public health emergency now since March 9th of 2020 to see the development of the vaccination program,” said Edwards.
Starting today 275-thousand more Louisianans will have access to the COVID-19 vaccine because the minimum age has been lowered from 70 to 65 years old for those who are eligible.
The federal government has also begun providing the state with a three-week forecast of vaccine allocations, up from a week to week forecast previously.
Edwards said he understands some are frustrated by the slow pace but the state’s hands are tied by just how much vaccine is allocated to us by the feds.
“It remains the limiting factor in the number people we can get vaccinated, and how quickly we can vaccine them,” said Edwards.
Over 400,000 Louisianans are reported to have received at least one dose of a vaccine so far.
Walmart is now set to join the list of vaccine providers. This week 57 Walmart pharmacies will get a test batch of 5,700 doses from the state allocation. After that the program is expected to begin in full, and Walmart will receive about 14,000 doses a week that will not come out of the state’s allocation. The 5,700 doses sent to Walmart are being diverted from the long-term care facility allocation.
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