First COVID-19 vaccine doses to go to health workers, say CDC advisers

Health care workers almost certainly will be the first recipients of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, says the chair of the panel that develops U.S. immunization guidelines, and that encompasses more than just doctors and nurses. In an interview with NPR, José Romero, MD, head of CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), said prioritization will also extend to support personnel, including maintenance workers and food-delivery persons. “We anticipate having some vaccine for the high-risk individuals—health care providers—sometime in December or early January,” Romero said. “And then more and more vaccine will be rolled out.” Pending clinical trial data that could help identify which vaccine candidates might work best for individual at-risk populations—including older adults, essential workers, and people with medical comorbidities—ACIP members have been using computer models and other tools to review possible scenarios with vaccine distribution. By exploring potential outcomes now, they hope to be ready to spring into action once a vaccine is authorized. “There will be an emergency meeting of ACIP within 24 to 48 hours after the FDA has made [its] recommendations on the approval,” Romero said, at which time members will decide on dosage and prioritization.