The Requirements and who gets Vaccinated First for Covid-19

“The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as large enough quantities of vaccine are available.” – CDC 

Scientists have been working hard around the clock for a Covid 19 vaccine so millions of people can return to normal. With schools, jobs, and the world on pause, everyone is holding their breath in hopes for the cure to appear. With one in the works and now in testing, a new question arrises as to who can be eligible to take the vaccine.

The state of California has eased restrictions on who qualifies for vaccinations to help speed the rate at which health departments can administer the Pfizer-BioNTech (16+) and Moderna (18+) vaccines so that Americans can quickly return to normal. The CDC (Center of Disease Control and Prevention) stated, “The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as large enough quantities of vaccine are available. As vaccine supply increases but remains limited, ACIP will expand the groups recommended for vaccination.” The CDC also has planned time periods set to have different groups of people receive the vaccine.

The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for both vaccines. However, younger people ages 16-35 currently are NOT the focus for receiving it. New guidelines allow for vaccines to be offered to those first with risky jobs, such as childcare providers, teachers, medical and emergency service workers, the elderly (75+), and agriculture suppliers.

Why are the vaccines currently only 16+? This is because a child’s and an adult’s immune systems are completely different. A child’s immune responses also vary at different ages, from infancy to the teenage years. Since their bodies are still growing, they are not as strong or prepared like an adult body would be. In order to give children a safe vaccine, the research that’s been conducted on the COVID-19 vaccine for ages 16 and up must be done again on younger children to maintain their health.