Instead of waiting for the advisory committee’s recommendations, they’ve gone ahead and allocated the first 6.4 million doses to states, based on overall population. “I finally made the decision, late Friday night,” said Gen. Gustave Perna, head of logistics for Operation Warp Speed, at the briefing Tuesday. “So states could prioritize based on [their] amount,” meaning how many doses of vaccine each state will receive.
Still, many states intend to follow the committee’s guidance on how to prioritize limited doses, according to plans submitted to the CDC. States are currently enrolling local hospitals, doctors offices and pharmacies to be eligible to give COVID-19 shots when they’re available — and providers are signing agreements saying they will follow the CDC’s advisory committee guidelines.
They are weighing the relative benefits and risks of vaccinating specific populations such as health care personnel and essential workers, who are more likely to be exposed to the coronavirus because of jobs requirements; and people who are older and those with underlying health conditions, who are more likely to get severely ill or die from COVID-19.
At the meeting, the committee generally supported prioritizing vaccines for workers who keep our health, food and transport systems running, ahead of those with health issues. “These essential workers are out there putting themselves at risk to allow the rest of us to socially distance,” Bell said.
Source: COVID-19 Vaccines To Be Allocated Based On Population : Shots – Health News : NPR
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