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Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday afternoon that the state has expanded eligibility for those seeking the COVID-19 vaccination.

The list of those eligible to receive the vaccine now includes anyone between the ages of 16 and 64, who has at least one of the health conditions that make them at a greater risk for COVID-19. All pregnant citizens, regardless of age, are also now eligible. All citizens 65 and older remain eligible, regardless of health conditions or workforce employment.

The minimum age for the Pfizer vaccine is 16, and the minimum age for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines is 18.

The health conditions required for citizens 16 through 64 years of age include the following: cancer; chronic kidney disease; COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); Down syndrome; heart conditions including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies; immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant; obesity (body mass index of 30kg/m2 or higher); sickle cell disease; current or former smoker; type 2 diabetes mellitus; asthma (moderate-to-severe); cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain); cystic fibrosis; hypertension or high blood pressure; immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines; chronic liver disease; overweight (BMI greater than 25 kg/m2, but less than 30 kg/m2); pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues); severe neurologic conditions such as dementia; thalassemia (a type of blood disorder); or type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Those in the newest eligibility group who are seeking an appointment for a vaccination must fill out the “Medical Risk Factor Self-Attestation Form” located on the Louisiana Department of Health’s website at ldh.la.gov (direct link is ldh.la.gov/assets/oph/Coronavirus/marketingmaterials/COVID19-Vaccine-Attestation-Form.pdf).

The LDH has published the list of participating providers, along with their locations and contact information, on its website at covidvaccine.la.gov. In addition, residents can call 211 to find a vaccine provider near them.

According to LDH officials, eligible residents must contact a participating provider and make an appointment with them. Patients who arrive without an appointment will not be vaccinated. LDH cannot make appointments for patients; only providers can.

Louisianans 16 years of age or older are also eligible to receive the vaccine if they meet any of these workforce employment categories:

• Ambulatory and outpatient providers and staff.
• Dialysis providers.
• Behavioral health providers and staff.
• Urgent care clinic providers and staff.
• Community care providers and staff.
• Dental providers and staff.
• Non-emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) providers and staff.
• Professional home care providers (including hospice workers) and home care recipients (including older and younger people with disabilities over the age of 16 who receive community or home-based care, as well as clients of home health agencies).
• American Sign Language (ASL) and foreign language interpreters and Support Service Providers (SSPs) working in community and clinic-based settings, and clients who are both deaf and blind.
• Health-related support personnel (lab staff, mortuary staff who have contact with corpses, pharmacy staff).
• Schools of allied health students, residents and staff.
• Law enforcement and other first responders.
• Louisiana Unified Command Group.
• State legislators.
• State and local essential COVID emergency response personnel.
• Some elections staff ahead of March and April elections.
• Teachers and any other support staff working on site in K-12 or daycare.