New COVID booster has been hard to find in some LA areas, and health officials are growing concerned

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Access to the new COVID-19 booster is apparently hard to come by.

St. John’s Community Health, which serves vulnerable populations in South Central and East Los Angeles and is one of the largest COVID vaccine providers in the country, is concerned over low shipments to its network of public health clinics. Recently, they received a shipment of just 500 doses.

Douglas Rogers, an L.A. resident, was hoping to get his vaccine at St. John’s Community Health in Boyle Heights this week, but had no luck.

“They said they didn’t have it in stock,” he said.

Now, the health care provider is growing concerned.

“As you can imagine, many, many people are calling and showing up and asking to get the vaccine, and we don’t have enough supply to meet the demand, so it’s a real concern,” said St. John’s Community Health CEO Jim Mangia.

This comes as Los Angeles County health officials are urging people to get the updated COVID booster shot as well as flu and RSV vaccines.

“Some people might feel more comfortable getting the flu shot and the COVID shot and their RSV vaccine at different times, and some people will want to go in and out and get them all at the same time,” said Dr. Nava Yeganeh with the Los Angeles County health department.

Another concern: Who pays for the COVID vaccines? St. John’s Health Community Health said the state is no longer reimbursing them for the cost.

“In California, more than a third of the population is on MediCal, which is the public health insurance program,” said Mangia. “We are in a situation where those of us who provide services to that population, are not being reimbursed for the cost of the vaccine, which is incredibly expensive.”

Yeganeh said people want the vaccine and believes there will be more supply soon.

“I would first probably go to a doctor,” she said. “A lot of health care systems will have it available, so check in with them first.”