Who gets the vaccine first?
Dec. 6th, 2020 10:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerVaccines for the Coronavirus are starting to roll out. The UK's health regulator approved the Pfizer vaccine for general use last week Wednesday (see, e.g., BBC News article 2 Dec 2020). The first 800,000 doses have already been shipped with millions more on the way in coming weeks. Similar progress is playing out in other countries, or will be soon. Vaccinating everyone will take time, though— months, really— so governments are having to decide who's first in line, who's second, etc.
The UK has prioritized vaccinating residents in elder care homes and the staff who care for them. I understand the value in vaccinating these groups. The virus has raged through these congregate living facilities, where residents are generally in weak health to start with and have limited ability to isolate themselves from people who might infect them. But should they be the first group? I think I'd prioritize front-line health care workers first and maybe seniors in care homes second. The UK does prioritize front-line health workers, but only in group 2 and along with everyone 80+. This BBC News article has a great chart illustrating the priorities (article updated 2 Dec 2020).
Here in the US our CDC made recommendations last week on who should get the vaccine first. Per this article in the NY Times (updated 4 Dec 2020) they place all 22 million health care workers in the first group along with the nation's 3 million seniors living in care homes. It's a nice plan to prioritize all health care workers... but there won't be enough doses at first. States will have to do decide whom to prioritize. And yes, states will decide because under our national inaction plan the CDC is only offering recommendations.
Okay, so once there are adequate doses for the initial 1-2 groups, who's next in line? The UK's plan goes largely by descending age category: 80+, then 75+, 70+, 65+, 55+, and 50+, with some allowance made for younger people with serious preexisting illness.
I've seen a variety of ideas proposed for who should get priority. One is to prioritize 18-25 year olds because they're superspreaders. That way they can keep hanging out, going to bars and clubs, etc., and stop getting everyone else sick. Another idea I've seen is to vaccinate middle-age adults first. The idea is the middle-aged adults are largely employed, which is a risk factor; are old enough that they tend to have one or more health risk factors; and many also have young children, who themselves are a risk factor. (Kids tend not to get serious symptoms but when they're infected they spread it just like everyone else.) Of course, at some point not too long after Day One of availability, money is going to be a huge factor in who gets the vaccine.
The UK has prioritized vaccinating residents in elder care homes and the staff who care for them. I understand the value in vaccinating these groups. The virus has raged through these congregate living facilities, where residents are generally in weak health to start with and have limited ability to isolate themselves from people who might infect them. But should they be the first group? I think I'd prioritize front-line health care workers first and maybe seniors in care homes second. The UK does prioritize front-line health workers, but only in group 2 and along with everyone 80+. This BBC News article has a great chart illustrating the priorities (article updated 2 Dec 2020).
Here in the US our CDC made recommendations last week on who should get the vaccine first. Per this article in the NY Times (updated 4 Dec 2020) they place all 22 million health care workers in the first group along with the nation's 3 million seniors living in care homes. It's a nice plan to prioritize all health care workers... but there won't be enough doses at first. States will have to do decide whom to prioritize. And yes, states will decide because under our national inaction plan the CDC is only offering recommendations.
Okay, so once there are adequate doses for the initial 1-2 groups, who's next in line? The UK's plan goes largely by descending age category: 80+, then 75+, 70+, 65+, 55+, and 50+, with some allowance made for younger people with serious preexisting illness.
I've seen a variety of ideas proposed for who should get priority. One is to prioritize 18-25 year olds because they're superspreaders. That way they can keep hanging out, going to bars and clubs, etc., and stop getting everyone else sick. Another idea I've seen is to vaccinate middle-age adults first. The idea is the middle-aged adults are largely employed, which is a risk factor; are old enough that they tend to have one or more health risk factors; and many also have young children, who themselves are a risk factor. (Kids tend not to get serious symptoms but when they're infected they spread it just like everyone else.) Of course, at some point not too long after Day One of availability, money is going to be a huge factor in who gets the vaccine.
