Vaccine eligibility opens to Nevadans 16+ with underlying health conditions

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Expanded eligibility begins Monday for Nevadans 16 and older with an underlying health condition.

Local pharmacies will be administering the vaccines to this group including at Smith’s, Walgreens and Walmart.

KOLO 8 News Now spoke with CVS Pharmacy in Reno and they say they are not yet administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

People who fall under this category should go to NVCOVIDFighter.org for information on where and how to make appointments in each county. Officials with the Nevada Health Response said, although eligibility is expanded, there will not be enough vaccine doses available. If there are not appointments available when you first check, you are asked to try again.

Underlying health conditions that make an individual 16 years and older eligible, per the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, include:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions (heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies)
• Immunocompromised (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
• Severe Obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m2)
• Pregnancy
• Sickle Cell Disease
• Smoking
• Type 2 Diabetes mellitus

The Washoe County Health District will continue to vaccinate eligible Nevadans within the Frontline/Essential Workforce Lane an individuals 65 years and older at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.

Starting April 5, 2021, all Nevadans 16 and older will be eligible for the vaccine as outlined in Governor Steve Sisolak’s address last week.

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