City Of LA Offering COVID Vaccines Without Appointments As It Aims For Herd Immunity

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The City of Los Angeles is now offering COVID vaccinations to any L.A. County resident age 16 and older without an appointment as it aims to reach herd immunity.

Jared Floyd was on his way to get a coffee Monday when he walked by a pop-up COVID vaccination clinic at Bresee Center in Koreatown.

"It's time," Floy said. "It couldn't have been more accessible."

As of Monday, about 37 percent of county residents have been fully vaccinated — far from what's needed for so-called herd immunity, which some public health officials say may not be attainable.

"I'm less concerned about if there is one number we absolutely have to reach, then I am about making sure people understand just how much protection they have with this vaccine," said L.A. County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer.

Dr. Jeffrey Klausner with USC Keck School of Medicine said L.A. County may not have reached the 80 percent rate of vaccination yet, but the immunity created by natural infections during the surge in January and February coupled with inoculations so far had to be factored in.

"I think in some places, particularly actually in Los Angeles County now, we may have actually reached herd immunity, certainly in some geographic areas," Klausner said.

At a mobile clinic in Koreatown, run by St. John's Well-Child and Family Center, staff members said the biggest hurdle to vaccination isn't hesitancy.

"When we're out here in the neighborhood talking to people, it's about access, because they get out of work at 3 or 4 p.m. and they don't have time to go wait at Dodger Stadium," said Mario Chavez with St. John's Well-Child and Family Center.

"You want to meet folks where they are," said FLoyd. "There's no reason why anyone shouldn't be vaxed."

On Tuesday, the City of Los Angeles sent out a citywide emergency alert to remind people to get a free COVID-19 vaccine.

L.A. County residents received the alert around 4 p.m. which included information on vaccine options offered by the city.

Meanwhile Tuesday, L.A. County health officials reported zero COVID-19 deaths for the second day in a row, although the numbers are likely due to weekend reporting lags.

The county also reported 255 new COVID cases on Monday, raising the overall caseload to 1,233,985.