Vaccine access: confusion and cutting the line

Drivers line up for coronavirus vaccination shots at Dodger Stadium in LA, March 13, 2021. Photo by Brian Hardzinski/KCRW

Nearly 4.5 million Californians are newly eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The state opened up appointments for people with underlying health conditions and disabilities on Monday. However, there are many gray areas. And when people do sign up for a vaccine, they don’t have to show much proof, if any. 

“There hasn't been detailed explanation of how they're going to prevent people from ... trying to get in front of the line when they may not qualify. … The state is really relying on this honor system. ... But at this point, there's no concrete policing happening,” says LA Times reporter Colleen Shalby.

Websites also vary in how many available appointments they show, and people have struggled with navigating the state’s relatively new site, MyTurn.