Vaccines open to 50 and older, and younger with health issues on Wednesday

Delaware will allow residents 50 and older, and those younger with health conditions to receive vaccines Wednesday, March 17, at pharmacies and from other health providers.

“This is an important step forward in our vaccination program that will make thousands of high-risk Delaware adults eligible for this lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine,” said Gov. John Carney in a press release. “Our goal remains the same. We want to distribute this vaccine in a way that's fast and fair. Until we can get enough Delawareans vaccinated, let's all do our part.”

On March 17, pharmacies will be able to vaccinate Delawareans 50 and older, and healthcare providers such as hospitals will be able to vaccinate patients 16 and older who have moderate- and high-risk medical conditions. Delawareans should contact their medical provider about vaccination opportunities, officials said. The Division of Public Health has also encouraged providers to contact their highest-risk patients directly to schedule vaccination appointments.

Beebe Healthcare began sending emails March 14 under expanded vaccine guidelines for younger patients. Non-paid caregivers of Delawareans with high- and moderate-risk medical conditions may also qualify for vaccination through medical providers, officials said.

The state will open its COVID-19 vaccination waiting list Tuesday, March 23, to any Delawarean over the age of 50. The waiting list is at vaccinerequest.delaware.gov. 

For more information on what constitutes a moderate- or high-risk medical condition or participating providers, visit de.gov/covidvaccine.

As of March 15, Delaware vaccination providers had administered 319,587 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Twenty percent of Delaware's population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Carney's announcement follows President Biden's directive to make all adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1.  

“Our vaccine supply has significantly increased, and as the number of seniors who are requesting vaccination appointments continues to drop, we are in a position to make them available to more Delawareans,” said Division of Public Health Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “So we are making a strong push through the end of March to vaccinate the remaining seniors 65+ and frontline essential workers who want a vaccine, and are excited to be able to begin reaching other vulnerable Delawareans.”

Over the next several weeks, officials said, Delaware will focus on vaccinating Delawareans 65 and older who are registered on the state's waiting list. Any Delawarean 65 and older who is not currently registered on the state's vaccination waiting list should register at vaccinerequest.delaware.gov for an opportunity to be vaccinated. Invitations for state-coordinated vaccination are now being sent to all persons remaining on the waiting list.

According to the state's new vaccination guidance, Delaware healthcare providers should use their clinical judgment to vaccinate residents 16-64 with underlying health conditions. The list of qualifying conditions provided by the state is not an all-inclusive of eligible conditions.

The state also will continue to partner with employers to vaccinate frontline, 1B-eligible workers, and begin moving into vaccinations for other essential workers. Employers who have not contacted DPH should email vaccineplanning@delaware.gov to begin developing vaccination plans for their employees.