(CDC Information Page Update, December 13, 2020)
Today, Monday, December 14, 2020, the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccines were being administered in the United States.
Yesterday, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their page, “When Vaccine is Limited, Who Gets Vaccinated First?”
The page now reads:
Because the supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is expected to be limited at first, CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine be allocated to healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents. CDC made this recommendation on December 3, 2020, and based it on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent panel of medical and public health experts.
The recommendations were made with these goals in mind:
- Decrease death and serious disease as much as possible.
- Preserve functioning of society.
- Reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities.
Healthcare personnel include all paid and unpaid people who serve in healthcare settings and have potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials.
Learn more about why it’s important that healthcare personnel get vaccinated.
Residents of long-term care facilities are defined as adults who live in facilities that provide a variety of services, including medical and personal care, to people who are unable to live independently.
Learn more about why it’s important that residents of long-term care facilities get vaccinated.
As vaccine availability increases, vaccination recommendations will expand to include more groups
The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as large quantities of vaccine are available. As vaccine supply increases but remains limited, ACIP will expand the groups recommended for vaccination.
