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To: California Department of Public Health

Lack of COVID vaccine for independent healthcare workers

We strongly ask the California Department of Public Health to issue an immediate and clear plan to vaccinate healthcare workers who do not have hospital system affiliation.
We would like a timetable and system for scheduling vaccines by January 15, 2020.

Why is this important?

In California cases of COVID are rising at a rapid and dangerous pace. However, the California Department of Public Health has not published(nor made available to local health departments ) a roadmap to vaccinate outpatient healthcare workers who are not affiliated with a hospital.
The vaccine rollout has been slow and unfortunately has left out a very large number of front line workers.
These healthcare workers include primary care and specialty physicians, nurses, non-physician mental health providers, dentists-and their staff. Outpatient healthcare providers are often the first to assess and treat patients with COVID-19. They have been working to prevent hospital emergency rooms from becoming overwhelmed during the pandemic.

Yet independent offices are being ignored and left to fend for themselves.
Outpatient providers who have contacted the California Department of Public Health regarding this issue were told to contact their county, who in turn advised them to contact the state Health Department. Local hospitals when contacted have advised physicians to contact their county and that they can only vaccinate their own staff.

Other states have created DOH vaccination sites where any Tier 1A healthcare worker can schedule themselves to be vaccinated without a prior invitation.

All California Tier 1A healthcare workers must be vaccinated immediately, regardless of inpatient or outpatient work settings and REGARDLESS of hospital affiliation.
We are all exposed to COVID-19 daily and each of our contributions are equally important in combatting the pandemic.

How it will be delivered

This petition will be signed by those who support this effort.
Individuals who sign represent themselves and do not reflect the views of any organization.
It will be sent to leadership at California Department of Public Health. Dr. Erica Pan and Dr. Nadine Burke.
We can create change, please share this widely to your community of health and non health professionals, We hope to have 1000 signatures or more by January 11, 2021!

Updates

2021-01-08 08:30:25 -0500

100 signatures reached

2021-01-07 17:30:38 -0500

50 signatures reached

2021-01-07 13:55:37 -0500

25 signatures reached

2021-01-07 12:53:50 -0500

10 signatures reached