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COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Widens As "Phase 1B Plus" Includes Heart Patients in Select States

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: March 15, 2021

Big news!!!

Several states have made the COVID-19 vaccines available to patients with heart conditions using a new "Phase 1B Plus" eligibility. Yes, you read that correctly!

COVID-19 Vaccines Heart Valve Patients Phase 1B Plus

After hearing about "Phase 1B Plus" from a friend, I quickly jumped on the California COVID-19 website to see if this was true or some kind of rumor.

At that website, I learned that my home state of California was actually widening access to the COVID-19 vaccines for patients with heart conditions on March 15, 2021.

As you might recall... I previously posted that heart valve patients would be part of Phase 1C eligibility. To double-check this exciting possibility, I then contacted my cardiologist who confirmed that "Phase 1B Plus" was real.

Robyn, my wife (see above picture), then scoured the Internet looking for an appointment at websites including vaccinefinder.com, vaccinespotter.com and local pharmacies. It wasn't easy but Robyn loves a challenge.

That said, I am happy to share that earlier today I got a COVID-19 vaccine. I am very happy to share that Robyn also received the vaccine after my medical team learned that she was with me.

Is "Phase 1B Plus" Available Everywhere?

The answer to that question is a bit confusing. I just went to the CDC's website. I did not find anything specific about the Phase 1B Plus roll-out.

Then, I just started typing "Phase 1B Plus" into Google to see what came up. It turns out that Illinois started Phase 1B Plus on February 25. Missouri and Montana also recently activated Phase 1B Plus.

Unfortunately, I did not find a comprehensive listing of all the states that have begun offering Phase 1B Plus to heart patients. For that reason, I would encourage you to check with your state's COVID-19 website to see if Phase 1B Plus is already happening or will happen in the near future.

Thanks To Everybody Helping End The COVID-19 Pandemic!

Many thanks to all the health care providers, first responders, medical research teams, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, community health centers, local, state and federal government, clinical trial participants and everybody else who has come together to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.

This has been a difficult, trying, miserable and tragic time for us and so many people that we know. I can see the "light" at the end of the tunnel. Let's keep our guard up. I hope we all get to experience that light.

Keep on tickin!
Adam

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Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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