The introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine came as a relief for many people, as a possible end to the pandemic is finally in sight. There is a high demand for the vaccine, as most people are aware that it makes a safe and healthy return to the pre-pandemic norm more possible as enough people are vaccinated to prevent the spread of the virus.
However, while many of the elderly and the frontline healthcare workers are have started to receive their first or second doses, everyone else may be wondering when it will be their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
For those in the United States, vaccination rules will vary by state, but the CDC has published some general guidelines[1] on prioritized groups that the majority of the country is following.
The First Groups to be Vaccinated
The first group of people that the CDC suggests receives the vaccine are already receiving doses throughout much of the United States. This includes healthcare workers who have a higher likelihood of being exposed to the virus, as well as those in long-term care facilities who generally have a much higher risk of death or long-term negative effects if they do contract the novel coronavirus.
These groups being vaccinated first is beneficial to everyone else, as having healthy medical staff and reducing the number of extreme cases that require medical resources means that healthcare systems are less burdened and more able to serve anyone else who gets sick.
Expanding Vaccination to Other Priority Groups
After these top-priority groups, vaccinations have started being extended to other frontline workers in essential positions, the elderly, and those with serious underlying medical conditions.
Vaccinating these groups next is the most efficient way to slow the spread by protecting essential workers in key areas, as well as continuing to minimize deaths and medical resource usage through protecting vulnerable groups.
Vaccinating the Majority of Americans
While vaccinating these priority groups protects everyone, both directly through less exposure and indirectly through having less stress on available medical resources, many people are wondering when they will be receiving the vaccine themselves.
After all, the efficacy rates of both the leading vaccines in the United States have been measured to be approximately 95%.[2] Even though those who are vaccinated still need to observe the same physical distancing, mask-wearing, and sanitation policies as everyone else until it is determined whether those who are vaccinated can be asymptomatic carriers of the virus, knowing that the vaccine is reducing the chance of falling ill can bring great peace of mind.
President Biden’s nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, says that in an ideal situation the vaccine could start to become available to the general public this spring, but “…it’s more realistic to assume that it may be closer to mid-summer, early fall” before the vaccine is actually available to most people. [3]
Therefore, while most can look forward to starting the vaccination process this year, it would be wise to plan on that vaccination still being multiple months away. This means that it will be important to continue to minimize large group gatherings or unnecessary travel until the majority of Americans are vaccinated, to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus as much as possible.
How to Get Vaccinated
It is important to keep up-to-date with the vaccination policies of the local area in order to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Those who meet the criteria of priority groups may be able to get vaccinated now or in the near future and should make sure to check with health authorities on getting their vaccine soon. The best starting place to see if you are eligible for vaccination currently is the “How Do I Get A Vaccine” section on the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination page that will navigate to current vaccination information for every state or U.S. territory, including who is receiving vaccines currently and the steps for doing so.
For those not in priority groups, periodically checking the CDC vaccination page and the local Department of Health website is the best way to stay current on your state’s vaccination policies. Keeping up with official government sources is the best way to be made aware when vaccination is made available to the general public in your area.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations.html
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/health/covid-vaccine-95-effective.html
[3] https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/us/coronavirus-vaccine-general-public-states/index.html