Phased distribution
of the COVID-19 vaccine
CDC is making vaccination recommendations for the United States based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Due to initial limited supplies, a phased vaccine distribution approach is being advised. State and local governments will develop individualized plans that may differ from the priority groups shown here.
SOURCE: CDC, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
Click to see recommendations for first groups
Examples include:
• Emergency medical service personnel
• Nurses and nursing assistants
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
1 - Decrease death and serious disease as much as possible
2 - Preserve functioning of society
3 - Reduce the extra burden the disease is having on people already facing disparities
4 - Increase the chance for everyone to enjoy health and well-being
Goals for recommending which groups should receive COVID-19 vaccines if supply is limited
SOURCE: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
Maximize benefits and
minimize harms
Respect and care for people using the best available data to promote public health and minimize death and severe illness.
Mitigate health inequities
Reduce health disparities in the burden of COVID-19 disease and death, and make sure everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
SOURCE: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
Four ethical principles guiding decision-making process if supply is limited
Promote justice
Treat affected groups, populations, and communities fairly. Remove unfair, unjust, and avoidable barriers to COVID-19 vaccination.
Promote transparency
Make a decision that is clear, understandable, and open for review. Allow and seek public participation in the creation and review of the decision processes.
Phase 1A: Health care personnel
of the COVID-19
vaccine distribution
- Includes people of all ages with two or more underlying health conditions that put them at significant risk of severe illness
or death from COVID-19.
Includes workers in:
• Education sector
• Food & agriculture
• Utilities
• Police
• Firefighters
• Corrections officers
• Transportation
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
• Obesity
• Severe obesity
• Sickle cell disease
• Smoking
• Diabetes
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Healthcare personnel continue to be on the front line of the nation’s fight against this deadly pandemic. By providing critical care to those who are or might be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, healthcare personnel have a high risk of being exposed to and getting sick with COVID-19.
21 million
• Pharmacists
• Students and trainees
• Cleaning staff
• Administrative staff
Includes residents in:
• Skilled nursing facilities
• Assisted living facilities
• Other residential care
The communal nature of long-term care facility and the population served (generally older adults often with underlying medical conditions) puts facility residents at increased risk of infection and severe illness from COVID-19.
Phase 1A: Long-term care facility residents
3 million
Examples include:
• Fire fighters
• Police officers
• Corrections officers
• Grocery stores
• Public transit
• Educational sector
Essential workers perform duties across critical infrastructure sectors and maintain the
services and functions that U.S. depends on. They may be exempted during stay-at-home-orders. Their duties are performed on-site and involve being in close proximity to the public or to coworkers.
Phase 1B: Frontline essential workers
30 million
• Physicians
• Technicians
• Therapists
• Dentists
• Food and agricultural
• Postal service
• Manufacturing
The risk of hospitalization, severe illness, and death from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Compared to younger adults aged 18-29, those aged 75-84 are 220 times more likely to die if they get COVID-19.
Phase 1B: People aged 75 years and older
19 million
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
The risk for COVID-19- associated hospitalization increases with the number of high-risk medical conditions, from 2.5 times the risk for hospitalization for persons with one condition to 5 times the risk for those with three or more conditions.
Phase 1C: People aged 16-64 years with underlying medical conditions
81 million
This group is at high risk of hospitalization, illness, and death from COVID-19. Compared to younger adults aged 18-29, those aged 65-74 are 90 times more likely to die if they get COVID-19.
Phase 1C: People aged 65-74 years old
28 million
• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease
• Heart conditions
• Solid organ transplant
• Obesity and severe obesity
• Down Syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Smoking
• Diabetes
Examples include:
• Transportation and logistics
• Food service
• Housing construction and finance
• Information technology
• Communications
• Energy
• Law
• Media
• Public safety
• Public health
Phase 1C: Other essential workers
20 million
Phase 1A: Health care personnel
Healthcare personnel continue to be on the front line of the nation’s fight against this deadly pandemic. By providing critical care to those who are or might be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, healthcare personnel have a high risk of being exposed to and getting sick with COVID-19.
Phase 1A
Health care personnel
21 million
Healthcare personnel continue to be on the front line of the nation’s fight against this deadly pandemic. By providing critical care to those who are or might be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, healthcare personnel have a high risk of being exposed to and getting sick with COVID-19.
Phase 1A
Health care personnel
21 million
Healthcare personnel continue to be on the front line of the nation’s fight against this deadly pandemic. By providing critical care to those who are or might be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, healthcare personnel have a high risk of being exposed to and getting sick with COVID-19.
Phase 1A
Health care personnel
21 million
Phase 1B
People aged 75 years
and older
19 million
This group is at high risk of hospitalization, illness, and death from COVID-19. Compared to younger adults, aged 18-29, those aged 65-74 are 90 times more likely to die if they get COVID-19.
Phase 1C
People aged 65-74
years old
28 million
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Conditions include:
• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease
• Heart conditions
• Solid organ transplant
• Obesity
• Severe obesity
• Sickle cell
disease
• Smoking
• Diabetes
Phase 1C
People aged 16-64 years with underlying medical conditions
81 million
Goals for vaccination if supply is limited
Ethical principles guiding decision-making
Conditions with increased risk of severe illness:
• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease
• Heart conditions
• Solid organ transplant
• Obesity and severe obesity