As 2020 soon comes to a close, it has been a year unlike any other. The rush continues for the COVID-19 vaccine after 4.2 million new cases were reported in the month of November. According to Reuters, “a Food and Drug Administration panel of outside advisers will meet on December 10 to discuss whether to recommend that the FDA authorize emergency use of a vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. The advisers will consider a second candidate, from Moderna Inc, a week later.”
The CDC recently issued updated recommendations on who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine first if supplies are limited. The agency said that their goal in vaccine distribution is to preserve the functioning of society while reducing death and serious illness as much as possible.
The CDC named four groups of people who they say should be vaccinated first if the vaccine is in short supply:
- Healthcare personnel
- Workers in essential and critical industries
- People at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions
- People 65 years and older
According to the CDC, essential critical infrastructure workers include truck drivers, health care workers, law enforcement, and people who work in the food and agriculture industry.
Until the vaccine is available to the masses, the best recommendation from the CDC is to wear a mask, wash your hands, socially distance and avoid crowds.
