As the COVID-19 crisis continues, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is looking at plans to distribute the vaccine to select groups of people if supplies are short — and essential workers like truck drivers could be at the top of the list.
The CDC recently issued updated recommendations on who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine first if the supply is limited. The agency said that their goals in vaccine distribution are to preserve the functioning of society while reducing death and serious illness as much as possible.
The CDC named four groups of people who they say should be vaccinated first if the vaccine is in short supply:
- Healthcare personnel
- Workers in essential and critical industries
- People at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions
- People 65 years and older
The CDC points to the definition of “essential critical infrastructure workers” provided by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. This definition includes truck drivers, health care workers, law enforcement, and people who work in the food and agriculture industry.
“Current data show that many of these [essential] workers are at increased risk for getting COVID-19. Early vaccine access is critical not only to protect them but also to maintain the essential services they provide U.S. communities,” the CDC noted.
Vaccine distribution could begin as early as mid-December.