How CDC panel recommendations for vaccine distribution impact you

12.20.20 – By Brad Shipp, NESA

On Sunday 12/20/20 A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel adopted recommendations on how the vaccine should be distributed. The recommendations are guidelines to be used by the states for each state to use to determine it’s own plan.

Click here to download the CDC – Phased Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccines Powerpoint

Here are how the phases work out:

• Phase 1a (in progress now )

  • Health care personnel
  • Long-term care facility residents

• Phase 1b (start date after completion of Phase 1a)

  • Frontline essential workers
    • First Responders (Firefighters, Police)
    • Education (teachers, support staff, daycare)
    • Food & Agriculture
    • Manufacturing
    • Corrections workers
    • U.S. Postal service workers
    • Public transit workers
    • Grocery store workers
  • Persons aged 75 years and older

• Phase 1c – (start date after completion of Phase 1b)

  • Persons aged 65-74 years
  • Persons aged 16-64 years with high-risk conditions
  • Essential workers not recommended in Phase 1b

• Phase 2 – (start date after completion of Phase 1c)

  • All people aged 16 years and older not in Phase 1, who are recommended for vaccination

To determine the essential workers listed in the phases the CDC plan references the CISA: Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce Guidance for COVID-19 response- Version 4.0, was released in August 2020

Here are the references in that Guidance Document that pertain to our industries –

LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS

• Workers, including contracted vendors, who maintain, manufacture, or supply equipment and services supporting law enforcement, fire, EMS, and response operations (to include electronic security and life safety security personnel).
• Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures.

PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT SERVICES

• Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, builders (including building and insulation), contractors, HVAC Technicians, technicians for elevators, escalators and moving walkways, landscapers, and other service providers who provide services, including temporary construction, that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essentialoperation of residences, businesses and buildings, such as hospitals and senior living facilities

OTHER COMMUNITY- OR GOVERNMENT-BASED OPERATIONS AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Workers to ensure continuity of building functions, including but not limited to security and environmental controls (e.g., HVAC), building transportation equipment, the manufacturing and distribution of the products required for these functions, and the permits and inspections for construction supporting essential infrastructure