Help is on the Way…
In what we have been told is “record time,” two U.S. pharmaceutical companies have announced the development of Covid-19 vaccines with very high efficacy rates. This is great news for everyone, especially exhausted health care and essential workers. It is also great news for the most vulnerable group and the one I follow closely, senior citizens.
A recent study highlights the drastic impact of Covid-19 on certain segments of our society. At the top of the devastation list are senior citizens, who comprise 16.5% of the U.S. population but, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ~80% of the coronavirus deaths as of 12/2/20. Given their/this bleak outlook, where do senior citizens rank in the vaccine pecking order?
First Up: The UK
The United Kingdom was first to approve a Covid-19 vaccine and roll out its national vaccination priority list. Senior citizens are top priority according to the UK Department of Health and Social Care list, with some seniors on par with senior care facility, health and social care workers.
1. older adults’ resident in a care home and care home workers
2. all those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers
3. all those 75 years of age and over
4. all those 70 years of age and over
5. all those 65 years of age and over
6. high-risk adults under 65 years of age
7. moderate-risk adults under 65 years of age
8. all those 60 years of age and over
9. all those 55 years of age and over
10. all those 50 years of age and over
11. rest of the population (priority to be determined.)
Coming: The U.S.
The United States has yet to approve a coronavirus vaccine or establish a vaccine prioritization schedule. As of this writing, the U.S. is expected to approve coronavirus vaccines ~12/10/20 with the first vaccinations to be administered shortly thereafter. Vaccine prioritization is not clear; the CDC’s advisory council has recommended first priority but most of the prioritization schedule is left for states’ creation. Below is an excerpt from a 12/3/20 NBC News report regarding the vaccine.
The CDC anticipates there will be enough doses for 20 million people by the end of December. Because the initial supply will be scarce compared to demand, the government plans to distribute the vaccine in phases. A CDC advisory panel voted on Tuesday to recommend giving first priority to health care personnel and residents of long-term health care facilities. They will likely be followed by the elderly, people with high-risk comorbidities and essential workers.
But the new federal recommendation only covers Phase 1a, and the question of who counts in each of those first phase categories has yet to be determined. The rest of the population still does not know where they will fall within the amorphous later phases — or even how they will find out. Though professional groups have suggested frameworks for the CDC, there is still no complete federal plan.
While imperfect, unclear and not as favorable as the UK priority list, the CDC Advisory Panel’s list considers the elderly a priority and recommends that states follow suit. This is great news! Let’s seize that progress and help make sure
· states’ leadership assume the mantle and protect their senior citizens, and
· we do our part as Americans - get comfortable with Covid-19 vaccines and rush to get vaccinated as soon as we can.
Action Plan:
Write your state legislators and insist seniors be included in the first rounds of vaccination.
Do your research to get comfortable and vaccinated when available
Do your part to curb the pandemic.
