CDC panel suggests first vaccine recipients

Health care workers, nursing home residents targeted for first doses, likely by end of month

A panel advising the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted 13-1 Tuesday to recommend that health care workers and nursing home residents be the first recipients of a coronavirus vaccine.

The independent Advisory Committee on Immunization

Practices suggests that about 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine be made available by the end December to a group that also includes hospital staff. Final vaccine distribution plans are up to individual states, but they are expected to follow the panel’s guidelines.

In Connecticut, nursing home providers said Tuesday they expect the vaccination process to begin as soon as Dec. 14. Nursing homes are battling a second wave of the virus that is once again killing elderly residents at a greater rate than the general population.

“I can see the finish line,” said Bill White, owner of Beechwood, a long-term care facility in New London. “But I’m trying to stay focused on every day and get through this wave.”

The CDCexpects all health care workers, more than 21 million nationally, to be vaccinated within three weeks once the vaccine is available. The CDC includes longterm care staff as part of the health care worker group.

The health care worker group also includes local public health workers, who may then be giving the vaccine to others, and all emergency services personnel.

Dr. Sara Oliver of the CDC told the advisory committee on Tuesday that they expect 5-10 million doses to be distributed weekly once the new year starts and the vaccine can be offered to a wider audience.

Oliver said with only 40 million doses available before the end of

December, hospitals must prioritize which of their employees get the vaccine based on their level of exposure to COVID-19 patients.

Oliver also said that the Pfizer and Moderna drug trials so far show that certain side effects such as fevers are more common after the second shot. Both Pfizer and Moderna are awaiting approval of the FDA for their vaccines. Both of them will require two shots that must be given two months apart.

CDC officials during the meet