Coronavirus vaccines are well in the works, and could be administered as early as December 11. Could this be true?
Yes, for some. The first available doses will likely go to emergency medical workers, essential workers, seniors 65 and older, and those most at risk. There is a separate organization within the CDC, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), that will decide who gets access to the vaccines first. For everyone else, vaccines will most likely be available early in 2021.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, said that the goal is to have enough Americans, 70 percent, vaccinated to achieve “herd immunity” by May.
What the experts are saying
The emergency approval process is set to take place December 10 for the Pfizer vaccine. “Within 24 hours from the approval, the vaccine will be moving and located in the areas where each state will have told us where they want the vaccine doses,” Slaoui told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Dr. Fauci reiterated Slaoui’s words when he said, “We project that it is very likely that we will have vaccine doses in people’s arms in December. The projection is that there will be 40 million doses for 20 million people.”
The vaccines that are closest to being ready are from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna. Others on the horizon are from Johnson & Johnson and Novavax. As a reminder, Medicare will fully cover a COVID-19 vaccine.
