Thread by @DrEricDing

STEALING VACCINE SLOTS FROM MINORITY COMMUNITIES—A CA program intended to improve #COVID19 vaccine access to people in hard-hit communities of color is being misused by affluent using codes to steal appointments reserved for underserved residents. 🧵
latimes.com/california/sto…

2) “The program to address inequities in vaccine distribution relies on special access codes that enable people to make appointments on My Turn vaccine scheduling website. The codes are provided to community organizations to distribute in largely Black and Latino communities.”

3) “But those codes have also been circulating, in group texts and messages, among the wealthier, work-from-home set in Los Angeles, The Times has learned. Many of those people are not yet eligible for the vaccine under state rules.”

4) “The block of appointments are only accessible with a specific code, which will change periodically based on usage, according to the email.”

5) “The codes are intended for use by people in communities of color who are vaccine eligible, including healthcare workers and those older than 65, but who might otherwise struggle to get an appointment.”

6) Naturally, this only further grows the disparity in vaccinations between hard hit COVID areas vs where vaccinations are being delivered. It’s almost opposite. latimes.com/projects/la-co…