Although the nation continues to record record levels of new Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, Wealthy patients in Southern California, the epicenter of the Covid-19 state crisis, offer to pay the maximum dollar to cut the line and be one of the first to receive a vaccine.
High-end customers are willing to pay for early access: At several medical offices in Southern California, doctors say they have received calls from their affluent clients asking if they can have early access to the extremely limited supply of vaccine doses in exchange for a financial contribution to a hospital or agency. beneficial. .
Dr. Jeff Toll, who owns an internal medicine store with admission privileges at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said a patient offered to donate $ 25,000 to the hospital in exchange for an early shot. of the vaccine. Toll’s practice offers a well-endowed clientele that includes chief executives and entertainment characters, but the doctor said he is also telling his patients they will have to wait, as the first round of vaccines is distributed to those most in need. of protection.
First features administered in the state: Earlier this week, California received 327,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, administering the first shots to front-line health workers battling the virus that has caused more than 22,000 deaths statewide since the start of the pandemic.
“I think one of the hard things is that the doctors who care for these people of great power can say you don’t have to wait,” Toll said.
These people don’t usually have to wait. “
Toll said his practice has been applied in the state of California to become a vaccine distribution center for his customers and that he has already purchased special ultra-cold freezers in anticipation of storing vaccine vials. Pfizer.
“They wanted it yesterday”: Dr. David Nazarian, of My Concierge MD in Beverly Hills, said several of his A-list clients are contacting him, saying the money is not subject if he helps them get the vaccine early.
“They wanted it yesterday,” Nazarian said. “We will play by the rules, but we are doing our best to insure and distribute the vaccine when it is available.”
The virus continues to infuriate California: Southern California has experienced an unprecedented increase in new Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations in recent weeks, with hospital intensive care bed capacity falling to 0% and health officials issuing serious warnings if the virus continues to spread out of control.
Concierge MD LA founder Dr. Abe Malkin said he received more than 100 phone calls from people trying to quickly access the initial doses.
“I would say between 5 and 10% of these were willing to try to contribute to a charity to get them online,” according to Malkin.
Officials step back in line: When it comes to cutting the line, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has warned that the state will be “very aggressive in making sure those who have the means, those who have influence, are not eliminating those who deserve the most vaccines.” .
“To those who think they can move forward on the line and to those who think because they have resources or have relationships that will allow them to do so, we will monitor it very, very, very closely,” Newsom said this month.
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