A program created to ensure equitable COVID-19 vaccine access for people of color in California is being misused by some residents, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Through the program, California reserves a block of vaccine appointments every day for Black and Latino residents living in underserved areas who meet eligibility requirements. To reserve these appointments online, people must input special access codes, which the state gives to community organizations to share with communities of color.
Issues with the program first emerged last week, as some codes began circulating among wealthier California residents, many of whom are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The publication said it's unclear how these codes spread to people outside of the program. In many cases, people who inappropriately received the code were not aware they were meant for people in underserved communities.
California has canceled some appointments made with one of the access codes after the Los Angeles Times inquired about the situation last week.
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