Louisiana is expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to include restaurant workers, grocery store workers, construction workers and a litany of others in occupations deemed “essential,” regardless of a patient’s underlying health conditions, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Thursday afternoon.
The widened eligibility, which affects only those 16 and older, will go into effect Monday (March 22).
The move comes a week and a half after eligibility was widened to include those people with a wide variety of health conditions.
All people previously eligible for the vaccine, including those 65 and over and those with certain health conditions, remain eligible.
See below for the full list of occupations now eligible to receive the vaccine, as per the Louisiana Department of Health. You can find a full eligibility list at StTammany.health/vaccine.
Appointments are available through STHS from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and should be made via the free MyChart app. Those experiencing difficulty with the app can make an appointment by calling (985)898-4001, which is answered 24/7, although anticipated heavy call volumes may result in a longer-than-usual wait during peak hours.
- Higher Education faculty/staff
- Food and agricultural workers
- Food service (restaurant/bar) workers, hotel workers, and other hospitality workers
- Judiciary staff, including judges, court staff, clerks of court and staff, district attorneys and public defenders
- Postal workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Grocery store workers
- Transportation workers, including river pilots
- Water and wastewater workers
- Energy workers
- Bank tellers
- Construction workers
- Clergy
- IT and communications workers
- Media workers
- Public safety engineers and other workers
- Public health workers
- Frontline government workers
- Child, youth, and family service workers
- Veterinarians and support staff
- Waste management workers
- Public and private security and emergency preparedness workers
Those from this newly eligible group should bring their work ID with them to their vaccine appointment.
This widening of eligibility is expected to be the last before the state opens up vaccine eligibility to all people 16 and older. That is expected to happen in April, according to the governor’s office.