While vaccines for COVID-19 have been in the works for months, federal governors are finally promising the release in the near future. States are beginning to prepare for vaccinating their citizens sometime during December.

This is very good news, however, people that need the vaccine more than others will receive treatment first. Healthcare workers as well as doctors and nurses will receive the vaccine as quickly as possible because they are at the greatest risk. In addition to this, adults under 65 and children may have to wait until spring 2021 or even late summer.

This all depends on how quickly the vaccines can be made. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices has voted that 21 million frontline health care workers and support staff and 3 million residents of long-term care facilities who have been hardest hit by the pandemic be in the first group. This is due to the fact that these people are already confined and will be easy to vaccinate.

In January we can expect for more Healthcare workers to be vaccinated, as well as emergency medical technicians, police, and firefighters. Dr. Larry Corey of the University of Washington says if both Pfizer and Modern get vaccines authorized, they could supply 50 million more doses in January and 60 million more in February and March.

By February we can expect to finally start vaccinating the elderly as well as high-risk adults. If all goes to plan there may be a possibility of returning to school this year and I’m all for it.