Kentucky Now Giving COVID Vaccine To Those 16+ With Medical Conditions

The eligibility requirements for the COVID-19 vaccine in Kentucky are expanding, reported WLWT 5.

Beginning Monday, individuals who are 16-years-old and over who have medical conditions can now receive their first dose of the vaccine.

Some of the qualifying medical conditions for those 16 and older include:

• cancer
• kidney disease
• obesity
• diabetes

The state is entering Phase 1C of vaccine distribution, which means that Kentucky is one step closer to herd immunity.

Also covered under Phase 1C are any individuals over the age of 60 as well as all essential workers.

According to officials, the appointments are filling up quickly. To meet the demand, St. Elizabeth's announced that it will be expanding its vaccination site hours to ten hours a day.

So far, the state has administered vaccines to about 1.5 million individuals.

According to health officials, lowering the eligibility age was a very important step to take.

Suzi Francis, the manager of Ambulatory Clinical Health St. Elizabeth said:

"It was studied in 16 and 17 year olds. We realized that a lot of the 16 and 17 year olds do work and they go to school and probably more likely to spread the virus than younger children and adolescence."

Though the state is in Phase 1C, those 60 and older are still being prioritized.

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