ACIP Meets to Discuss Phased Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccines

November 24, 2020

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This CDC panel discussed who should be vaccinated first and the flu-like effects from the vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met this week to discuss recommendations on how to allocate the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccines.

One of the biggest takeaways from the meeting was the panel and participants taking part in the discussion wanted to inform the public and clinicians that the COVID-19 vaccines could bring on local side effects having vaccine recipients feeling flu-like.

The concern is that if people who get vaccinated and feel flu-like after the first dose, there might be reluctance to take a second dose a month later, thereby not giving that vaccinated person the needed immunity from the virus.

In terms of prioritizing vaccine candidates, the panel recommends healthcare personnel as phase 1A. This group includes personnel who work in: hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient home health care, pharmacies, emergency medical personnel, and public health workers.

As part of phase 1b, the next groups ACIP recommends are essential workers, people with high-risk medical conditions, and adults 65 years and older. Essential workers include people who work in food and agriculture, food service, transportation, education, energy, police, firefighters, manufacturing, IT, communication, water and wastewater. People with high risk medical conditions include: obesity, and severe obesity, diabetes, COP, heart condition, chronic kidney cancer, smoking, solid organ transplant, and sickle cell disease.

According to the CDC, the ACIP includes 15 voting members responsible for making vaccine recommendations. Fourteen of the members have expertise in vaccinology, immunology, pediatrics, internal medicine, nursing, family medicine, virology, public health, infectious diseases, and/or preventive medicine; one member is a consumer representative who provides perspectives on the social and community aspects of vaccination. In addition to the 15 voting members, ACIP includes eight ex officio members who represent other federal agencies with responsibility for immunization programs in the United States, and 30 nonvoting representatives of liaison organizations that bring related immunization expertise.