California’s 16-member medical panel of experts has recommended that the next round of vaccines goes to teachers, first responders and grocery and restaurant workers, all those who fall into the essential worker category.
This new decision comes as ICUs in LA County are overflowing, and COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are soaring to staggering heights. On average, two people an hour are now dying of COVID-19. More than 21,000 new cases are being reported. Even if you take out the backlog of about 7,000 cases, it's by far the highest one-day total we've seen so far.
“We’ve got to figure who we’re going to prioritize," Dr. Oliver Brooks, co-chairman of the panel tells NBCLA.
Additionally, it was reported Wednesday that there's a dangerous nursing shortage in California, with Governor Newsom suggesting that the state may have to look overseas.
The next round of 8 million doses of vaccine arrives early in 2021, the division falls into three groups.
The nearly 6 million people who fall into the three categories makes up about half of California’s designated essential workers. The panel chose the next three groups passed on their “societal impact,” and assuring that those low-income workers who live and work in high-risk communities are included, making sure to staunch the flow of the virus’ transmission.
1. 1.4 million education and child care providers, a category that includes preschools, K-12, and higher education including trade schools.
2. 1 million emergency services providers -- police, firefighters, those who provide child and youth services, shelters, social services for the elderly and those with disabilities, the criminal justice system, and businesses that provide goods used by the safety workers.
3. 3.4 million food and agriculture workers -- those working in food and bars, farm workers, grocers, bakers and butchers; those who work in plant nurseries, florists, sawmill, community food services and pharmacies.
Despite the designation the panel acknowledges that there won’t be enough vaccine available for everyone in the three groups until next spring -- Officials expect 2 million doses by year's end, 4 million by the end of January and more than 20 million by the end of April, according to NBCLA.
“We’ll be grappling with trying to determine criteria that can be used practically and efficiently to sort between worthy recipients of scarce vaccine, whether that’s using age or medical condition or other factors to ... let the highest-risk priority go first,” Dr. Robert Schechter, co-chairman of the expert panel and chief of the California Department of Public Health's Immunizations Branch said.