“The expansion of eligibility will allow the last large group of Riverside County adult residents to get vaccinated, and bring us one step closer to herd immunity,” county Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari said in a prepared statement. “Bringing the vaccine to a younger population, where we have seen an increase in cases, is a big step forward.”
Residents ages 16 and 17 will need a parent or guardian with them in order to receive a vaccine. The only vaccine approved for 16- and 17-year-olds is the Pfizer vaccine.
All three vaccines Pfizer, Moderna and the Johnson & Johnson are approved for those age 18 and older.