How Will the COVID-19 Vaccine be Distributed?

-

After nearly a year of pandemic-induced isolation and loss, we have recently had the announcement of not only one, but two, candidate vaccines with impressive efficacy data. 

Although this provides a glimmer of hope that we will eventually find our way out of this crisis, it is essential to recognize that there will not initially be enough vaccine available to immunize the entire population. Therefore, the vaccine will be distributed to the public in phases. You may be wondering where you or those you love lie on this index. Although this stratification is subject to change, here is what we know so far.



There will be 4 major phases for vaccine distribution:

1a. High risk health care workers (hospitals, long-term care facilities, etc.) and first responders (police, fire, EMT)

1b. People with 2 or more co-morbid conditions (eg: asthma, heart disease, immune deficiency), and older adults in congregate/overcrowded settings

2. Teachers & school staff, critical workers in high-risk settings, people with moderate co-morbid conditions, residents/staff of homeless shelters or group homes, incarcerated/detained people and associated staff, and all older adults

3. Young adults, children, and workers in industries important to the functioning of society

4. All other people in the United States who wish to be vaccinated

Within each of these phases, attempts will be made to prioritize vaccine administration to geographic areas identified through the Center for Disease Control's Social Vulnerability Index or another more specific index, should one be available at the time.

Remember, the goal of this phased approach is to prioritize vaccine administration not only to those who are at highest risk of having a bad outcome from infection, but also to protect those critical workers who need to be healthy enough to take care of the remaining public. This means it is unlikely that all members of your household will be able to be vaccinated simultaneously. Additionally, although the vaccine appears to be effective in preventing severe infection, it may still be possible to contract the virus and spread it to unvaccinated individuals even if you have been immunized. Therefore, vaccination will not be a free pass to go back to "normal", at least not right away.

We are approaching the home stretch, so please don't let pandemic fatigue get the best of you now. Keep up the good fight with distancing, masking, and supporting one another, so we can keep COVID-19 at bay long enough so that the vaccine can reach everyone who needs it before the virus gets to them first.

Ref: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25917.

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for taking the time to comment on this blog's posts! Let's keep the discussion engaging and free of frivolous advertising or vulgarity. It's a family show, folks!

Popular posts from this blog

The Grotesquely Swollen Apple of My Eye- What to do When Bugs Attack Your Child's Face

-
Image
Son #2 woke up this morning looking like a streetfighter! Dramatic swelling of the eye(s) such as this can occur for a variety of reasons: 1. Allergic reaction to ingested food or drug (generally affects both eyes) 2. Direct contact with environmental allergen or food allergen (can affect one or both eyes) 3. Hereditary or acquired angioedema (can affect one or both eyes) 4. Injury (usually affects one eye) 5. Low protein levels (generally affects both eyes) 6. Infection (generally affects one eye) 7. Insect bite (can affect one or both eyes) In this case, my little one endured a mosquito bite at the outer corner of his left eye yesterday afternoon.  It was mildly swollen at the time, and became progressively worse as the night wore on. Does this mean he has a mosquito allergy? Actually, no more than anyone else.  Certain areas of skin, such as around the eyes and on the lips, are more loosely attached to underlying tissues and muscles than skin elsewhere on the b...
Read more

Keratosis Pilaris - Or, Why My Kid Looks Like a Plucked Chicken

-
Image
The skin is the body's largest organ. The condition of the skin is, in many ways, a window into our internal health. Therefore, it is only natural that people become immediately concerned by rashes. We often neglect our own elevated blood pressure, achey joints, or other ailments. The onset of a new rash, on the other hand, can quickly lead to a call to the doctor. Interestingly, there is one rash I see in my practice which rarely causes alarm among patients and parents. In fact, it is common for a parent to state, "Oh, that? His sister has that too. In fact, so do I!" Keratosis Pilaris is a common, heritable disorder which results in small bumps consisting of accumulated skin cells and keratin at the sites of hair follicles. It is especially common in people who have a history of allergies. Although it can be mildly itchy, the rash generally does not cause discomfort. Commonly described as "gooseflesh", keratosis pilaris can be a concern cosmetically, lea...
Read more

Why Drug Allergies Matter (Or Why Penicillin Allergy is Responsible for My Son's Lopsided Neck)

-
Image
My 6 year son old just got over a rite of passage - strep throat and scarlet fever. Unfortunately, before we could even celebrate his recovery, I noticed a swelling on the left side of his neck. It was red and tender, and it was GROWING. The pediatrician in me worried, "Damn. Lymphadenitis (infected lymph node)". No sooner had we finished one course of antibiotics than we were onto another, and the side effects were bad enough to keep him out of school for another three days. Why did my munchkin suffer so? My answer: Drug allergy. Group A streptococcal bacteria (the cause of strep throat and scarlet fever) is remarkably sensitive to penicillin. Penicillin is the first choice treatment for strep throat, and has been proven to reduce the risk of developing rheumatic fever, a post-infectious complication which can result in chronic heart disease. Problem is, my son is allergic to antibiotics in the penicillin family. At 11 months of age (8 days into his second ever co...
Read more