CDC group must decide who gets the vaccine first

A panel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet next week to decide who will receive the coronavirus vaccine first, CNN reported on Monday.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet for five hours on Nov. 23, according to committee member Dr. William Schaffner.

The first to get vaccinated would be healthcare workers, essential workers, people over 65, and people with underlying health conditions. The panel will discuss the order in which the groups should receive the vaccine, Schaffner said.

Next, the committee should define which underlying conditions meet the criteria for a person to be vaccinated early. In addition, the panel should define an “essential worker,” which can include everyone from police and healthcare workers to those working in supermarkets.

“There have been huge ethical discussions about this,” Schaffner said.

Pfizer announced a vaccine with 90% effectiveness earlier this month and Moderna announced its offer on Monday, which the company said has been shown to be 94.5% effective in clinical trials. The two companies are seeking emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration, hoping to launch vaccines for some in December and for the general population by the end of April.