Who will get the coronavirus vaccine first and who will decide?
One thing is sure: There will be limited supply of covid-19 vaccine.
So, how can we assure equitable allocation of the Covid-19 vaccine once it becomes available? who will decide which of the world's 7.8 billion people will return first to some kind of normal life? and who will decide which categories of populations are critical to maintaining a nation's stability and safety?
Because covid-19 has hit different countries differently, each country will need to develop its own Covid-19 vaccination allocation strategy based on few basics:
- Protecting first those who are essential to the pandemic response and provide care for persons who are ill.
- Protecting those who maintain national security and essential community services, including schools.
- Protecting children and pregnant women, and,
- Protecting workers who are at greater risk of infection due to their job
Since the vaccine will be at short supply for quite some time, it is recommended to vaccinate as per the following covid-19 vaccine priority sequence:
Priority 1: Pregnant women, infants and toddlers, military, police, law enforcement services at airports and ports, fire services, critical healthcare personnel, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, essential pharmaceutical manufacturing workers.
Priority 2: High risk children, high risk adults, adults older than 65 years old, other domestic national security, mortuary services, other healthcare personnel, community services, communications, IT and utility services, prisons, critical government, operational and regulatory personnel, households contacts of children less than 6 years old.
Priority 3: Healthy children up to 16 years old. All other government agencies. All other infrastructure including transportation.
Priority 4: Healthy adults. The rest of the population.
Prioritizing the allocation of the covid-19 vaccine is not an easy call. No decision will be uncontroversial. But when there aren’t enough vaccines for all, someone must inevitably come first.
Senior Vice President and General Manager
4 年The highest death rates in this pandemic are among those who are in residential care homes and hospices. Perhaps those who are most vulnerable in our community should be included in the top priority. However, firstly, we need to have a laser-like focus on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine candidates. As many countries prepare the logistics to administer coronavirus vaccine, the risk/benefit equation is still unknown. There have been serious problems with vaccines in the past. We must remember these lessons so they are never repeated.
Headhunter / VP ??(519) 201-1020 x247 / (312) 981-8890 x247
4 年true
Managing Director - Advisory Board Member - PharmD
4 年And the side question would be: which pharmaceutical company will the first provider of a safe vaccine...?