When Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna revealed their vaccines had efficacy rates of 95% and 94.1%, respectively, it felt like a significant breakthrough. It seemed we were nearing the end of a long and challenging journey that we’ve all been navigating for the past year.
Since the approval of these vaccines in December 2020, discussions about vaccinations have dominated national discourse—questions about availability, distribution, and eligibility have been at the forefront. Due to limited supply, states have had to make difficult decisions about who should receive the vaccine first.
The CDC has provided guidelines for states to follow in determining vaccine priority, based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel of independent medical and public health experts. Initially, the CDC prioritized healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities in the first wave, followed by frontline essential workers and individuals over 75 in the second wave.
However, states are not obligated to adhere to the CDC’s recommendations. As they move beyond the first wave, many states have diverged from federal guidance, creating specific definitions for essential workers or including groups previously excluded. Consequently, your position in the vaccine queue may vary depending on your location.
One significant group often overlooked in many states’ vaccine distribution plans is those under 65 years old who have high-risk conditions that put them at greater risk for COVID-19.
Meet Emily
Meet Emily Johnson, a 40-year-old mother from Denver, Colorado, who has Cystic Fibrosis and has undergone two double-lung transplants. She is on a mission to raise awareness for this frequently neglected group, particularly in her home state.
Initially, Colorado prioritized high-risk individuals. Emily expressed her excitement when the vaccines were announced and was determined to get vaccinated as soon as it was offered. “I’ve participated in various drug trials to help patients like me gain access to critical medications,” she shared.
However, when Colorado revised its priority list, Emily and many other high-risk individuals found themselves pushed down to phase four of five. For Emily, this delay is not just an inconvenience; it could be a matter of life and death. “If I contract COVID, my chances of survival are slim,” she states.
In a recent interview, Emily articulated her concerns: “I can’t afford to take the risk of getting infected. Unlike some, I don’t have the luxury of recovering afterward.” Having undergone two double lung transplants, her current lung function is at 60%, and she is on immunosuppressive medications that could limit her treatment options if she contracts COVID.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has echoed Emily’s call in a letter to Colorado lawmakers, urging the state to prioritize individuals with serious underlying health conditions for COVID-19 vaccines.
CDC Guidelines and Principles
The CDC’s guidelines are underpinned by three principles:
- Minimize death and severe disease as much as possible.
- Maintain the functioning of society.
- Alleviate the additional burden COVID-19 places on those already facing disparities.
Given these principles, it’s essential that high-risk individuals like Emily receive priority for vaccinations across all states.
The crux of the issue is the need for vaccines and an effective distribution framework to ensure those in need are vaccinated as quickly as possible. Although the vaccine rollout has been slow, it appears to be gaining momentum, with daily administration increasing from under a million to approximately 1.7 million doses, and it may rise further. Dr. Anthony Fauci has suggested that vaccination could be widely accessible by April, although he has tempered this optimism recently.
In February, President Biden announced an additional 200 million vaccine doses, raising the total to 600 million—enough to potentially vaccinate every American adult who wishes to receive it by late May, especially with the approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and its collaboration with Merck.
While this news is promising, the timeline may still not be sufficiently rapid for those at high risk unless they are prioritized in every state. Emily is advocating for state lawmakers to approach this issue with compassion and consider how they would feel if they or a loved one were at high risk for severe COVID-19 complications.
Fortunately, Emily’s advocacy has yielded results. Colorado’s governor recently announced that certain high-risk individuals will be eligible for vaccination starting March 24. This announcement has instilled hope in her and she encourages other high-risk patients to stay optimistic. “Hope is essential; without it, we have nothing,” she writes.
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In summary, it is vital to prioritize vaccines for younger individuals with high-risk conditions to ensure their safety and well-being. As seen in the case of Emily Johnson, prompt vaccination can be a matter of life and death. Advocacy for these individuals is essential to ensure equitable access to vaccines across all states.