US CDC Says Priority COVID-19 Vaccination Groups May Overlap

(Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that the vaccination phases of priority groups against COVID-19 may overlap, clarifying the guidelines that many states already apply to obtain vaccines against so many ‘Americans as possible.

The CDC said healthcare workers and nursing home residents should be given priority for vaccines, to be followed by people over 75 and essential workers. On Friday, the CDC changed its website to emphasize that these phases may overlap, essentially giving the green light to what many states are already doing.

Each state has its own vaccine distribution plan, with little oversight and involvement from the federal government. This week, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the CDC’s priority recommendations were just that and shouldn’t stop Americans from getting vaccinated.

Although the federal government distributed over 21 million doses, only about 6 million were administered.

A spokesperson for the CDC said the information was previously available on a section of its site that outlined the priority recommendations of its external advisory committee.