Nursing home residents and workers may be among the first to receive a coronavirus vaccine, depending on what a federal committee decides. A preliminary plan reveals that critical medical and national security officials would receive any approved vaccines first, followed by other essential workers and those considered at high risk, such as the elderly and people with underlying conditions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an advisory committee of outside health experts currently are working on a priority ranking for upcoming vaccines. The committee, which has been deliberating on the vaccine prioritization since April, reports to the director of the CDC. It includes 15 voting members selected by the health secretary who come from immunology, infectious disease and other medical specialties; 30 nonvoting representatives from across the health field; and eight federal officials focused on vaccines.
“This virus disproportionately impacts older adults, particularly those over 80 with chronic diseases, which comprises the majority of the population we serve,” they wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar. AHCA/NCAL added that top priority is warranted for the groups since “those we care for are the most vulnerable to the virus.”