As Moderna and Pfizer request emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccines, the United States is ramping up preparations for a nationwide distribution effort in the coming weeks.
Officials anticipate that the first batch of vaccines will be available by mid to late December. However, health experts caution that the U.S. still faces a challenging winter ahead, with new infections continuing to rise across the country.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has stated that a COVID-19 vaccine is unlikely to be widely accessible to the general public until April or May 2021.
On Tuesday, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel is scheduled to meet to prioritize the initial recipients of the vaccine. It is expected that healthcare workers and nursing home residents will be among the first to receive immunization.
Following the advisory group's recommendations, the CDC director and the Health and Human Services Secretary will review and approve the guidelines, which will then become official CDC policy.
States are required to submit their initial vaccine distribution plans to the federal government by December 4th to ensure a coordinated rollout.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
