Mayor Robert Garcia announced Thursday that Long Beach would be "transitioning" the city's eligibility requirements to allow all residents over the age of 16 to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
Why it matters:
Today's announcement follows Governor Newsom's declaration that the state would open eligibility to everyone 16 and older. Because Long Beach has its own health department, it was able to move quicker in rolling out its vaccine plan.
According to Garcia, about 43 percent of qualifying adults have already received at least one dose, with 86 percent of those 65 and older receiving at least two.
Health and Human Services Director Kelly Colopy said, "we've seen a dramatic decrease since our winter surge," and that in the last 60-days, the city's positivity rate dropped by 78 percent.
How it's going to work:
The vaccine will be available for walk-ins only at the Convention Center, Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. At least 500 shots would be made available, and those who are in line but are unable to receive one will be scheduled for the next day, Mr. Garcia said.
Long Beach residents will have to wait until April 15 to book appointments due to the state's MyTurn program, based on state requirements, and will not recognize the local eligibility extension.
The Convention Center will provide at least 500 doses for walk-ups per day, and Garcia often said up to 1,000 doses are available.
Colopy said the city would continue to use pop-ups and a bus shuttle service in areas hardest hit by the coronavirus.
The Long Beach City voted unanimously to enter negotiations with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and FEMA to shelter 1,000 unaccompanied migrant children for the next 120 days or Aug 2nd.
How did we get here:
Last week, the city of Long Beach was approached by the HHS to house at the convention center as it tries to find room for an influx of migrant children at the border who have already overwhelmed the immigration system for the past three months.
What next?
The children will begin arriving in two weeks after the city and HHS have reached an agreement. According to Disaster Preparedness Director Reginald Harrison, the Convention Center can hold up to 1,000 children, with each child getting about 60 square feet of space and one staff member for every eight children under FEMA guidelines.
City officials will be following the San Diego model in which HHS will manage the entire operation, and Long Beach will assist with supportive services like food and health care with local vendors.
Director Harrison says the temporary shelter site won't affect the current COVID-19 vaccination site nor convention business.
Long Beach will be joining San Diego and Dallas in momentarily converting its convention center into a "temporaory intake site."
Go Deeper:
According to Axios, the CDC is authorized shelters for child migrants crossing the US-Mexico border to grow to maximum capacity, abandoning a requirement that they remain below 50% to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
At least 82 migrant teens staying at the migrant shelter inside the San Diego Convention Center tested positive for COVID-19, per ABC 10 San Diego.
What they're saying:
Long Beach State will provide graduates of the classes of 2020 and 2021 just one guest ticket for the commencement ceremony at Angel Stadium, campus officials announced in an email Tuesday, per The Daily 49er.
🎓Ok, Say What Again:
Students will receive only two tickets in total, one for themselves and one for a guest. Beginning in May, tickets will be doled out via the students' email, and graduates will also receive two parking passes, one for themselves and one for a guest.
🎓: The university mentioned to graduating seniors to finish their custom graduation slide, including a picture of the graduate and a quote.
🎓: Students must apply their name pronunciation by Friday, April 9, as well as a photograph and quote by May 1.
âšľ: Angel Stadium will host the graduation ceremony, which will be live-streamed, from May 28 to 31.