Posted January 06, 2021 in Covid-19
3 minute read
The approval of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines has been a major step forward in fighting Coronavirus. Now the main question seems to be:
When will I be able to get the vaccine?
Even though it may seem that creating an order or line to get the vaccine is not completely fair, there are a lot more people and professions included in the initial groups than you might have initially thought. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) developed this system of vaccine allocation to maximize benefits and minimize harms, promote justice, and lessen health inequities present in society. In other words, they are trying to make it as fair and helpful to society as possible.
Initially, on December 1, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that 1) health care personnel and 2) residents of long-term care facilities be offered COVID-19 vaccination first as part of Phase 1a of the vaccination program
On December 20, 2020, ACIP recommended, as indicated on the CDC website, that in:
-In Phase 1b, the vaccine should be offered to persons aged ≥75 years and frontline essential workers (non–health care workers) which includes 49 Million people.
– Frontline essential workers are at the highest risk for work-related exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, because their work-related duties must be performed on-site and involve being in close proximity (<6 feet) to the public or to coworkers.
-The ACIP defines frontline essential workers as First responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as child care workers.
In Phase 1c:
Persons aged 65–74 years, persons aged 16–64 years with medical conditions that increase the risk for severe Covid-19, and essential workers not recommended for vaccination in Phase 1a or 1b should be offered the vaccine. The Phase 1c group includes 129 Million people.
-The risk for COVID-19–associated hospitalization increases with the number of high-risk medical conditions, from 2.5 times the risk for hospitalization for persons with one condition to 5 times the risk for those with three or more conditions.
-Essential worker sectors recommended for vaccination in Phase 1c include those in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, public safety (e.g., engineers), and public health workers.
Phase 2 will include:
Everyone that is 16 years of age or older who has not already received the vaccine or who does not fall into one of the groups mentioned in Phase 1A, 1B, or 1C. There are still ongoing trials for children and adolescents to determine when they will be able to receive the vaccine.
For further information you may refer to:
“The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ Updated Interim Recommendation for Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, December 2020”