There's Still a Missing Link for Boosters

UCLA Health is now advising patients via email that booster shots are available for previous Pfizer recipients and certain Moderna recipients.* Note, however, that eligibility requires patients to be age 65+, immune-compromised or with certain underlying conditions, or in certain occupations.

Note that the bulk of UC faculty and staff are below age 65 and not immune-compromised, etc. The occupations listed on UCLA Health's announcement - taken directly from the CDC website - are:

Health care workers, First responders (firefighters, police, congregate care staff), Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers), Food and agriculture workers, Manufacturing workers. Corrections workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, Public transit workers, Grocery store workers.

Of course, that many UCLA employees fall into the health care category. We also have campus police who would be eligible. Presumably, staff at the various restaurants on campus are food workers. So that leaves "education staff" including faculty. Are higher education staff included as education staff this time around? When the vaccines were initially rolled out, it was eventually determined that education included higher ed, not just K-12. Is that the case now? That is the missing link in the booster program.

As a practical matter, the various area drugstore chains are giving boosters based on applicant attestation, although you might be asked to show your vaccination card. So, if you attest that you are education staff, you would probably get a booster. One suspects the drugstores are being paid for each vaccination and, thus, are accommodating. Still, a definitive statement from UCLA/UCLA health that education staff are eligible would be helpful and would eliminate the missing link.

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*Details: https://apps.uclahealth.org/e/es?s=1108064982&e=89435&elqTrackId=af5a6f047aa64eb69c1633ddd78d6e68&elq=43948a4ddb74477fb3806a6eb095b4ef&elqaid=290&elqat=1.