This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

OLATHE, Kan. — Kansas is moving ahead in its vaccination plan starting March 22, making people in Phases 3 and 4 eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

The combined phases will cover about 600,000 of the state’s 2.9 million residents; the first two phases covered twice that number.

So who exactly falls into Kansas’ Phase 3 and 4? Let’s break it down:

Phase 3

  • Those age 16-64 with severe medical risks such as:
    • Cancer
    • Chronic kidney disease
    • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
    • Down Syndrome
    • Heart conditions, such cardiomyopathies
    • Immunocompromised state from solid organ transplant
    • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
    • Sickle cell disease
    • Pregnant patients
  • Other critical workers:
    • Agricultural and food workers not included in previous phases
    • Workers performing in-person activities indoors, in critical manufacturing, not included in previous phases. This includes aviation and production of critical supplies for the COVID-19 response
    • Utility workers
    • Social service and government workers not included in previous priority phases
    • Logistics workers, such as truck transportation workers, couriers and others
    • Water and wastewater workers
    • Shelter and housing (e.g., construction) workers, finance (e.g., bank tellers)
    • Information technology and communications workers

Phase 4

  • Those age 16-64 with other medical risks, such as:
    • Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
    • Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
    • Cystic fibrosis
    • Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune-weakening medicines
    • Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
    • Liver disease
    • Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
    • Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
    • Type 1 diabetes mellitus
    • Obesity and severe obesity

Anyone unvaccinated from previous phases is still eligible to receive their shot(s) as well.

Phase 1 includes health care workers, long-term care facility staff and residents, and some other pandemic-related workers. Phase 2 includes those 65 and older, people in congregate settings like homeless shelters and correctional facilities, and high-contact critical workers like first responders, teachers and grocery store workers, among others.

Kansas’ Phase 5, which hasn’t been activated yet, includes the rest of the state’s population who are 16 and older and don’t fall into one of the earlier phases.

Gov. Laura Kelly said she expects to have a larger supply of all three vaccines as early as next week to help vaccinate thousands more people. The state will aim to meet President Joe Biden’s goal of having all adults eligible to be vaccinated by May 1.