Indiana has expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to any Hoosier age 50 and older. Governor Holcomb announced the expansion during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“I count my lucky stars every day that we’re having this discussion about hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers getting vaccinated, and we’re not waiting seven more years,” the governor said. “This is a really good thing.”
He credited the arrival of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for the increase in availability. Holcomb said he planned to get the vaccine himself on Friday at the mass vaccination site at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
While Indiana has been using an age-based approach to the vaccine rollout, Indiana Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said the state is also expanding eligibility to younger Hoosiers with certain underlying health conditions. “This week, we have started to send invitations to sign up to get the vaccine to Hoosiers with sickle cell disease, Down Syndrome, actively on dialysis, solid organ transplant recipients, and Hoosiers actively receiving treatment for cancer now or within the last three months,” Weaver explained. “If this describes you or a loved one and you have not yet received a message, do not fret. These will continue to be sent over the next couple of weeks.”
Weaver said Indiana’s getting 145,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 128,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, and almost 54,000 of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week. A big difference is that Johnson & Johnson only requires one dose, while the others require two.
Weaver said that Indiana does not expect to get any more Johnson & Johnson vaccine for the next couple weeks. Still, State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box was hopeful that the state would have enough vaccine to expand eligibility to anyone age 40 and up by mid-to-late March.
Eligible Hoosiers can make a vaccine appointment at ourshot.in.gov or by calling 211.
