How to prepare for an eventual power outage
Eleanor Gray
Published Mar 29, 2026
Power outages don’t happen too often, but when they do, you’ll want to make sure that you, your gadgets, and your house are prepared. Here are some things to keep in mind when the lights go out.
Have Alternative Heating & Cooling Sources
During the middle of summer or winter, the heat and the cold temperatures outside can quickly make their way inside if your heating or cooling system isn’t running for an extended amount of time, which is why it’s important to have alternative methods for heating or cooling your house if the power remains out.
During the winter, make sure you at least have some extra blankets available to keep warm, and on top of wearing warm clothes, it doesn’t hurt to wear your gloves and hat either.
If your heating system is out of commission, you can usually go without it for a couple of hours, depending on how well your house retains heat. But it’s a good idea to have some alternative heat sources available if need be.
Propane heaters are a popular option, but while indoor-safe models exist, they can still be dangerous. Burning propane creates carbon monoxide buildup, and while most propane heaters come with built-in oxygen sensors (like this one), they’re probably not great to use in your living room.
Instead, you could get a battery-powered generator and plug in an electric blanket, which not only uses less power than a heater, but it’s much more efficient at keeping you warm, and depending on what generator you get, it could power an electric blanket for hours.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the classic fireplace, provided that yours is ready to go and you have wood to burn. Otherwise, you’ll have to get creative with the options above.
If it’s summer out and your power goes out, make sure you have fans available to circulate air and create breezes. Obviously, these require electricity, but you can get battery-powered fans for pretty cheap. Granted, they’re pretty small fans, but it’s better than nothing. Plus, if it’s not too terribly hot outside, maybe even open some windows.
Get a UPS for Your Electronics
Ever been working on something only for your computer to shut down because the power went out? It can be really frustrating if you didn’t save your work beforehand, and even worse if it corrupts your hard drive from not shutting down cleanly. This is where an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can come in handy.
UPS units work like a typical surge protector, but with a built-in battery that can power your computer for a few more minutes after the power goes off. You won’t be able to do much work on that battery, but you’ll have just enough time to save your work and gracefully shut down without problems.
UPSs also have other advantages too, like being able to charge up your smartphone if the battery gets low, as well as powering anything else that might need a bit of juice while the power’s out.
Which type of UPS you need depends on your computer setup, but we’ve recommended this CyberPower 1500VA model in the past, and it’s still remains a good choice.
Keep Flashlights Around the House
There’s nothing more inconvenient than having the power go out at night when you can’t see a thing. Strategically placing flashlights all around the house ahead of time can be beneficial.
Granted, your phone probably has a flashlight feature that you could use…if you have your phone with you. Besides, that feature drains battery, which is at a premium when the power’s out. Flashlights will often give you more light, or you could even get a battery-powered lantern that provides bright light in all directions—which is great if you want to light up a whole room.
Just make sure to periodically check that all of your flashlights work and have fresh batteries in them a few times a year. The worst time to discover that a flashlight doesn’t turn on is during a power outage.
Know How to Use Your Garage Door’s Manual Release Lever
If your power goes out and you want to leave the house, your garage door opener won’t work. However, every garage door has a bypass that allows you to open it by hand using the manual release lever.
The manual release lever is the quick-release lever that connects your garage door opener to your garage door, and it’s located in the center at the top of the garage door where that giant spring is. Connected to that lever is a red pull cord. Pulling on this will release the lever and disconnect your garage door opener from your garage door so that you can open it the old school way.
Many newer, more expensive garage door openers will come with battery backups, and they’re usually good for a few rounds of opening and closing your garage door without needing power from the house, but if you don’t have one of these, then it’s wise to get to know the manual release lever.
Power outages don’t happen too often, but when they do, you’ll want to make sure that you, your gadgets, and your house are prepared. Here are some things to keep in mind when the lights go out.
Have Alternative Heating & Cooling Sources
During the middle of summer or winter, the heat and the cold temperatures outside can quickly make their way inside if your heating or cooling system isn’t running for an extended amount of time, which is why it’s important to have alternative methods for heating or cooling your house if the power remains out.
During the winter, make sure you at least have some extra blankets available to keep warm, and on top of wearing warm clothes, it doesn’t hurt to wear your gloves and hat either.
If your heating system is out of commission, you can usually go without it for a couple of hours, depending on how well your house retains heat. But it’s a good idea to have some alternative heat sources available if need be.
Propane heaters are a popular option, but while indoor-safe models exist, they can still be dangerous. Burning propane creates carbon monoxide buildup, and while most propane heaters come with built-in oxygen sensors (like this one), they’re probably not great to use in your living room.
Instead, you could get a battery-powered generator and plug in an electric blanket, which not only uses less power than a heater, but it’s much more efficient at keeping you warm, and depending on what generator you get, it could power an electric blanket for hours.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the classic fireplace, provided that yours is ready to go and you have wood to burn. Otherwise, you’ll have to get creative with the options above.
If it’s summer out and your power goes out, make sure you have fans available to circulate air and create breezes. Obviously, these require electricity, but you can get battery-powered fans for pretty cheap. Granted, they’re pretty small fans, but it’s better than nothing. Plus, if it’s not too terribly hot outside, maybe even open some windows.
Get a UPS for Your Electronics
Ever been working on something only for your computer to shut down because the power went out? It can be really frustrating if you didn’t save your work beforehand, and even worse if it corrupts your hard drive from not shutting down cleanly. This is where an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can come in handy.
UPS units work like a typical surge protector, but with a built-in battery that can power your computer for a few more minutes after the power goes off. You won’t be able to do much work on that battery, but you’ll have just enough time to save your work and gracefully shut down without problems.
UPSs also have other advantages too, like being able to charge up your smartphone if the battery gets low, as well as powering anything else that might need a bit of juice while the power’s out.
Which type of UPS you need depends on your computer setup, but we’ve recommended this CyberPower 1500VA model in the past, and it’s still remains a good choice.
Keep Flashlights Around the House
There’s nothing more inconvenient than having the power go out at night when you can’t see a thing. Strategically placing flashlights all around the house ahead of time can be beneficial.
Granted, your phone probably has a flashlight feature that you could use…if you have your phone with you. Besides, that feature drains battery, which is at a premium when the power’s out. Flashlights will often give you more light, or you could even get a battery-powered lantern that provides bright light in all directions—which is great if you want to light up a whole room.
Just make sure to periodically check that all of your flashlights work and have fresh batteries in them a few times a year. The worst time to discover that a flashlight doesn’t turn on is during a power outage.
Know How to Use Your Garage Door’s Manual Release Lever
If your power goes out and you want to leave the house, your garage door opener won’t work. However, every garage door has a bypass that allows you to open it by hand using the manual release lever.
The manual release lever is the quick-release lever that connects your garage door opener to your garage door, and it’s located in the center at the top of the garage door where that giant spring is. Connected to that lever is a red pull cord. Pulling on this will release the lever and disconnect your garage door opener from your garage door so that you can open it the old school way.
Many newer, more expensive garage door openers will come with battery backups, and they’re usually good for a few rounds of opening and closing your garage door without needing power from the house, but if you don’t have one of these, then it’s wise to get to know the manual release lever.
What do I do if the power goes out?
If the electricity goes out:
- Call the City of Buffalo Utility Department to report the problem. The emergency outage number is 682-1001. Keep this number near your phone.
- Stay away from downed power lines. Treat all power lines as though they are energized, and report downed line to the Buffalo Utility Department.
- Use flashlights or battery operated lanterns for additional light.
- Keep freezers and refrigerators closed to help preserve food; keep ice in your freezer in advance.
- If you must drive, respect all intersections as four-way stops.
- If you have water in your basement as a result of a storm, be alert to the risk of shock. Do not use electric appliances near water–even on a wet floor.
What to do if the power goes out for an extended period of time:
- Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. Foods will stay frozen for 12 to 48 hours.
- Turn off electric burners and ovens.
- Turn off radios, TVs, VCRs, and computers. If you don’t have reliable surge protectors, unplug these devices before power is restored.
- Dishwashers, clothes washers, and dryers may be left on. Appliances will resume their cycles once power is restored.
Preparing for a power outage:
- Install surge protectors for critical electric devices.
- Keep battery-operated flashlights, radios, and alarm clocks handy.
- Have a cellular phone in your house.
- Keep a list that includes City of Buffalo Utility Department’s outage number and other emergency numbers.
A power outage can affect your work, spoil the food in your fridge, and disrupt various tasks that require electricity. If you live in a place that is prone to natural phenomena like floods, hailstorms, or hurricanes, you are likely to experience frequent power cuts. Therefore, you need to prepare for such occurrences to avoid unnecessary inconveniences. On that note, read on to learn how you can handle a power outage.
Learn to Stock Non-perishable Foods
In worst-case scenarios, a power outage can last for days or weeks. Therefore, to avert a crisis on top of another disaster, you should ensure that you stock sufficient bottled water and non-perishable foods in your pantry. You also need to buy canned foods that can last for several months. If you have children, make sure that you buy their favorite non-perishable foods. You should make it a habit to stock emergency food supplies in your home.
Keep Flashlights at Home
Darkness is something that is abhorred by many people. Therefore, flashlights are excellent options that you should have in case of emergencies. With a flashlight, you feel instantly safer since criminals mainly take advantage of the darkness to commit crimes. You may not know when power would be restored, so you must have some form of security. Try to get a flashlight for every member of the family so that they can feel secure when there is no power. Alternatively, you can also consider a solar lantern. This option is cost-effective since you do not need to buy batteries for the light.
Buy a Generator
A portable generator is by far the most important gadget you must have in order to deal with a power outage. There are different types of generators available on the market, so you should have no trouble finding one that suits your needs. The dedicated reviewers at GeneratorGrid commented that a portable generator can be moved easily from one place to another, which is a very convenient feature to have. Depending on the type and size of the generator, you can use it to power different appliances. In case of a power outage, you can use your generator for cooking, charging phones and computers, illumination, and more.
Invest in a Solar or Gas Stove
It is essential to buy a solar or gas stove that you can use to cook during a power outage. A wood stove can also help you to prepare your meals when there is no power. By using a rocket stove, you can boil water for your pasta and enjoy warm vegetables and soups. Even when it is not an emergency, you can use your rocket or gas stove for other recreational purposes like camping.
Get an Emergency Weather Radio
It is crucial to stay abreast with the weather forecast in your area. You can buy an emergency weather radio that operates with a hand crank or solar power. Such a type of radio is quite convenient to use during a power outage because if you are aware of the weather outlook, you will be in a position to take the necessary steps to prepare for the worst.
Engage in Activities
A power outage does not last forever, so you must consider different activities that you can do as a family to avoid boredom. When you have nothing to do, you are likely to start panicking. It is vital to find some easy and fun activities to keep everyone occupied. For instance, puzzles, word games, reading books or magazines can help you overcome the stress caused by loss of energy.
A power outage can disrupt all activities that require electrical energy. You may also experience severe losses if a power outage lasts for several days since it can affect the perishable food in your fridge. However, the good news is that there are different measures that you can take to prepare yourself for such an emergency. You need to invest in a portable generator and wood or solar stove. With a generator, you will not experience extended work stoppages that can cost you a portion of your revenue. It is also essential to stock up on non-perishable foods and water so you can enjoy home-cooked meals. even when the power is out. You also need sufficient flashlights or solar lanterns to find your way in the dark without getting injured. Last but not least, find ways to entertain yourself and keep your little ones occupied, if you have kids, to help everyone stay calm and avoid unnecessary panic.
Approach appliances with caution, use gas to cook, and more tips on how to safely get through a period with no electricity
When a major storm is approaching, it’s anyone’s guess how much damage it will do—or how long you might be without power. To safely get through a prolonged power outage, follow Consumer Reports’ expert advice.
1. Write Important Information on Paper
During an outage, your cell phone is your lifeline and you’re likely to want to keep it charged in case of an emergency.
Because you can’t depend on your phone indefinitely, write down phone numbers and addresses you might need, such as a nearby hospital, a school that’s providing supplies, the local library or storm shelter, or other public places that might have power—places where you’ll be able to go to recharge your electronics and contact loved ones.
Then conserve your phone’s battery life by switching the phone to a power-saving setting, such as airplane mode on an iPhone or economy mode on an Android device.
When you make your way to a local shelter or library, it’s a smart idea to take a power strip, says Maria Rerecich, senior director and head of product testing for CR.
This way, when you do find power, you can charge multiple devices at once—or share the makeshift charging station with others.
2. Use Gas to Cook Food That Will Spoil
In homes that have lost power but suffered little other damage, you can safely cook on a gas stove. But you’ll probably need to light the burner with a match or lighter because the electronic ignition on a stove won’t work if the power is out. And if you have a gas grill, cooking with it is another option. If you were able to properly store your grill before the storm, in a dry space such as a garage, and notice no water damage to the grill or gas tank, it should be safe to use it to grill food.
What to cook, though, is another question. CR has a guide to foods you can make or eat that won’t spoil as quickly.
Food in your refrigerator can maintain a safe temperature—below 40° F—for about 4 hours on average. Cook any perishables (raw meat and soft cheese, especially) within this time period; otherwise, toss these items. Even after that 4-hour window, food can spend an additional 2 hours above 40° F before it becomes unsafe to cook. A full freezer should stay cold for about 48 hours after the power is lost; a half-full freezer should stay cold about 24 hours.
Anything that you cook but don’t eat, you’ll need to throw out after 2 hours because you’ll have no way to keep it cool enough to prevent it from spoiling. (You can always share with the neighbors.) Good to know: Lots of homeowners insurance policies will cover the replacement cost of spoiled food, so it’s really not worth taking the risk of consuming it.
If your house is flooded, always toss any food that may have come into contact with floodwaters, advises the Department of Agriculture’s guide to food safety during storms and hurricanes (PDF).
3. If You Have a Generator, Use It Safely
Running a generator improperly can kill you in as little as 5 minutes if the concentration of carbon monoxide is high enough. And it happens: An average of 60 to 70 people a year die a year from generator-associated carbon monoxide poisoning, according to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas, so you won’t even know you’re inhaling it,” says Don Huber, CR’s director of product safety. “No matter what, resist the urge to move a portable generator inside the house or the garage.”
Operate a generator as far from the house as possible—CR recommends at least 20 feet—and direct the exhaust away from doors or windows. If you don’t have a transfer switch installed, you can run an outdoor-rated extension cord of the appropriate gauge from the generator’s outlets to individual appliances, provided the cords are properly rated and you follow certain precautions. The gauge of extension cord your generator requires will be specified in the user manual.
4. No Generator? Unplug Your Appliances.
This includes anything with electrical circuitry, from your microwave to your refrigerator to your television.
There isn’t a particular order to follow, you just need to pull the plugs from the outlets to prevent potential electrical damage. Or, if you’re comfortable doing so, you can shut off the main circuit breaker.
“When power lines are damaged during storms, there can be a spike or surge in the line,” says John Galeotafiore, associate director of product testing at CR. “Unplugging your appliances can prevent damage to those appliances from a power surge when the utility company restores power.”
If you see street lights or other households on your block that have successfully turned their lights on, you’ll know the power is back on.
5. Check on Nearby Neighbors
If your family and home are safe and sound, communicate with neighbors and family members to let them know. Check to see if elderly neighbors are able to navigate when the lights aren’t on—or if they might want or need your help. Devise a system to update everyone, if necessary.
If there seems to be no end in sight to the power outage, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends seeking out an alternate location with power and heating or cooling—assuming you’re able to safely drive on the roads. Take your go bag or medical go bag, and any other supplies you might need. Let your neighbors and family know where you plan to go.
Generator Tips
Damaging storms can happen at any time. On the ‘Consumer 101’ TV show, host Jack Rico learns from Consumer Reports’ expert, Paul Hope, how to avoid being left in the dark during a power outage.
By Reuters Staff
MANILA, Jan 6 (Reuters) – The Philippines’ electricity grid operator is looking into conducting an initial public offering (IPO) to comply with regulatory requirements, its spokeswoman said on Wednesday, in what could be one of the country’s largest public share sales.
The National Grid Corp of the Philippines (NGCP), partly owned by China State Grid Corp, was originally required by a 2008 law covering its franchise terms to sell at least 20% of its shares to the public within 10 years.
“We were previously advised that market conditions may not be ideal at the moment, but we continue to take steps to prepare for an eventual IPO,” NGCP spokeswoman Cynthia Alabanza said in a text message.
Compliance with the franchise terms is the priority for the IPO, Alabanza said.
Bloomberg on Wednesday said that NGCP is planning an IPO that could raise as much as $1 billion, quoting people with knowledge of the matter, who said deliberations were at an early stage.
The Philippines energy regulator has given the NGCP a deadline to list its shares, one banker said, who also expressed doubts about whether a listing could take place this year given turbulent market conditions.
Another banker expressed doubts that the IPO could raise as much as $1 billion.
In October, fibre broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc completed a $600 million IPO, the country’s second largest.
In 2007, a consortium including China’s State Grid, which holds a 40% stake National Grid, won the right to operate the Philippine power grid for $3.95 billion.
Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales. Editing by Jane Merriman
A United Airlines passenger jet taxis at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, U.S. Dec 6, 2019. (Photo: REUTERS/Chris Helgren)
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NEW YORK: United Airlines said on Wednesday (Oct 14) it cut operating costs by 59 per cent in the third quarter and had nearly US$20 billion of liquidity to position it for an eventual recovery from the COVID-19 crisis that has hammered the travel industry.
Airline executives have signalled a slow but steady improvement in leisure demand but do not foresee a recovery to 2019 levels for at least two years, with business and international travel particularly slow to bounce back amid ongoing travel restrictions.
When the rebound finally arrives, airlines want to have a cost structure and network in place.
“We’re ready to turn the page on seven months that have been dedicated to developing and implementing extraordinary and often painful measures, like furloughing 13,000 team members, to survive the worst financial crisis in aviation history,” said United CEO Scott Kirby.
He acknowledged, however, that the “negative impact of COVID-19 will persist in the near term.”
Shares closed down about 1 per cent at US$35.61 before the results were released and were down 1.37 per cent in after-hours trading.
Chicago-based United said its daily cash burn slowed to an average US$25 million in the quarter ended September from US$40 million in the second quarter, and included US$4 million per day in severance and debt payments.
Including voluntary departures, United said it has cut its workforce by 22,000 employees, leading to roughly US$765 million in pretax costs in the third quarter.
United had US$19.4 billion of liquidity at Sep 30.
Revenue fell 78 per cent to US$2.49 billion, slowing from a plunge of about 87 per cent in the previous quarter and helped by a 50 per cent jump in revenue from its cargo business.
The airline will face increasing competition on its home turf next year after low-cost rival Southwest Airlines said this week it plans to add service at two United hub airports: Chicago O’Hare and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental.
United said its quarterly adjusted loss was US$2.37 billion, or US$8.16 per share, compared with adjusted net income of US$1 billion, or US$4.07 per share, a year earlier.
Rival Delta Air Lines posted a US$5.4 billion quarterly loss on Tuesday, while Southwest and American Airlines are due to report next week.
United management will hold an investor call on Thursday at 10.30am.
Enterprises have different standards of downtime tolerance, which often vary between applications. Properly set your expectations and avoid unnecessary — and unwanted — downtime.
Despite the benefits of a move to the cloud, providers like AWS can’t guarantee trouble-free IT management. Errors and downtime can cause cloud disruptions — even when enterprises thoroughly plan a cloud project and take a realistic look at capabilities and terms of service. Enterprises that prepare for eventual AWS downtime can mitigate its affects; those who don’t are in for a rude awakening.
Each organization will have different thresholds for acceptable AWS downtime, depending on its needs and the business case, said Kiyoto Tamura, vice president of marketing at Treasure Data Inc., a software company based near San Francisco. But when a critical service like Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) goes down, everyone feels it. “When [S3] went down earlier this year, literally one half of the internet had trouble,” Tamura said. “It’s a testament to S3’s popularity, as well as the danger of putting all your data in one system — no matter how durable and available it’s designed to be.”
And what’s an acceptable level of downtime depends on the workload or business function the infrastructure supports. Some business functions, such as online retail, banking and emergency services, require 100% availability; other business functions — HR and some business intelligence apps — can operate in an environment that provides less than 100% availability. It’s up to each organization to determine workload availability requirements and implement the appropriate architecture — a task in and of itself.
“An architect must have a deep understanding of the AWS environment to properly architect a highly available infrastructure,” said Paul Duvall, CTO with consultants Stelligent Systems Inc.
Several AWS features and capabilities rely on other AWS features. Cloud architects need to understand these interdependencies to avoid poor results, as AWS customers experienced with the recent Amazon S3 disruption. An issue with the S3 environment brought down other AWS utilities, including the CloudFormation environment that S3 supports.
“Understanding the CloudFormation dependency on S3, an architect could have designed some redundancy,” Duvall said. “What IT professionals need to remember is that it doesn’t matter what platform the application is running on. It is the responsibility of the IT department to design and implement an architecture that ensures the viability and resilience of an organization’s mission-critical applications and data.”
Most AWS customers expect somewhere between 99.9% to 99.999% uptime, which translates to roughly 53 minutes to 8.76 hours per year of allowable outage time. Most customers are unhappy when the annual downtime is concentrated into a single event, said Simon Jones, evangelist and director of marketing communications at Cedexis. So, when S3 went down in late February, the length of the outage caused angst among AWS customers.
“For many AWS customers, the reality is that most will tolerate some downtime almost fatalistically,” said Avi Freedman, co-founder and CEO of Kentik Inc., a network traffic intelligence company based in San Francisco. “Zero downtime is achievable, but only with investment in architecture and layered or multivendor solutions.”
Users can take several steps to reduce or minimize the risk of AWS downtime, including:
- Avoid putting workloads into the AWS U.S East region, if at all possible. “It’s the biggest, oldest and most unreliable zone,” Freedman said.
- Implement a multiregional architecture, as network and configuration failures regularly cascade into regional outages for the three major cloud providers — AWS, Azure and Google.
Don’t rely on AWS to deliver 100% of packets reliably over the internet. - Regularly monitor the performance and availability of content delivery networks, as well as hybrid and multicloud environments.
“We see more people working with service providers to avoid downtime,” said Brett Moss, SVP and General Manager of Hyperscale Cloud at Ensono, an infrastructure management company in Downers Grove, Ill. And with hyperscale clouds like AWS, enterprises can generally architect environments to avoid downtimes, he added. But there are additional costs for this.
The largest AWS customers likely have the skills and knowledge to fully back up workloads. But most customers move to the cloud to reduce costs; the full implications of that aren’t always thought through.
Acceptable cloud downtime and error rates also depend on the nature of the application. For example, a real-time messaging app such as Slack has very little tolerance for downtime, but a batch-image processing app can be down for some time before it negatively affects customers, said Greg Arnette, founder and CTO of cloud-based email archiving and analytics platform Sonian.
“Successful AWS architectures plan for downtime of specific cloud services and can harness the failover and redundancy that AWS offers to provide continuity,” Arnette said. AWS customers with resilient architectures plan for some amount of error and build retries into their code. But, generally, “if an error from an API call persists for over five minutes, that would be unacceptable for many customers,” he added.
“All AWS customers probably care about downtime, but probably only a third really understand how to avoid it,” Moss said. Additionally, some companies learn that certain functions can tolerate lower performance and downtime, saving money on disaster recovery efforts.
Elasticity added to Amazon Elastic Block Store to reduce downtime
Learn how to minimize risks from cloud outages
Los Angeles, CA — Today the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to instruct Los Angeles County Departments to act now to prepare for the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine to residents when one becomes available.
“We are the largest County in the nation, and when the time comes, we will need to fairly and equitably get a vaccine to over 10 million people,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We need to start preparing now to receive, store, distribute, and administer a vaccine so we don’t waste any time.”
In recent weeks, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance to State public health officials, prompting them to prepare for COVID-19 vaccination distribution. Currently, there are 37 vaccines in clinical trials and 3 vaccines are in the third phase of trials. Some reports indicate that limited COVID-19 vaccine doses in phase 3 may be available by early November 2020, with substantial increases in vaccine supply slated for 2021.
The CDC provided guidance on what is required for the preparation and distribution of a vaccine. The guidance includes ordering, data reporting, and tailoring of CDC-developed public-facing communications; preparing for the delivery, storage, and handling of the vaccine vials; identifying high risk priority groups that need the vaccine first like healthcare professionals and those living in long term care facilities; and setting up mass vaccination clinics for the general population when more doses of vaccine are available, supply permitting.
With well over ten million residents, Los Angeles County must prepare a vaccination plan that ensures intentional and systematic allocation, with priority given to those in targeted groups and underserved populations who have been disproportionally affected by COVID19.
Supervisor Hahn’s motion, which passed unanimously, instructs the LA County Department of Public Health to work with relevant departments, local cities, and community agencies to develop a vaccination plan and report back to the Board in 45 days.
