Many of you who were on my email list in February may remember that I sent you a message about a COVID-19 vaccine coming out in record time.
I also gave you a little history of how vaccines came to have such a bad reputation and how the federal government has cleaned this up.
Well, here is the latest straight from the “horse’s mouth.” (I have no idea what that expression means).
And yes, as providers, we will be required to get the vaccine first in order to keep our patients and coworkers safe.
How many doctors and nurses are in the USA?
Approximately 540,000 doctors and 4,000,000 nurses.
This is a good start on a large group of folks to test the safety of the vaccine.
If truth be known, many medical providers do NOT like prescribing a new medication or vaccine until more results are in.
But in this case, we really don’t have a choice.
And I’m optimistic that we will all do OK.
Here’s the CDC link directly to this article:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/8-things.html
But, her’s the “Quick and Easy”
With the possibility of one or more COVID-19 vaccines becoming available before the end of the year, here are 8 things you need to know about where those plans currently stand.
1. The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority.
The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Learn how federal partners are working together to ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
2. Many vaccines are being developed and tested, but some might be ready before others—CDC is planning for many possibilities.
CDC is working with partners at all levels, including healthcare associations, on flexible COVID-19 vaccination programs that can accommodate different vaccines and scenarios. CDC has been in contact with your state public health department to help with your state’s planning. State, tribal, local, and territorial health departments are critical to making sure vaccines are available to communities.
3. At least at first, COVID-19 vaccines might be used under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Learn more about FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization and watch a video on what an EUA is.
4. There may be a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines before the end of 2020, but supply will continually increase in the weeks and months that follow.
The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as large quantities are available. The plan is to have several thousand vaccination providers available, including doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers.
Learn about how the federal government began investing in select vaccine manufacturers to help them increase their ability to quickly make and distribute a large amount of COVID-19 vaccine.
5. If there is a limited supply, some groups may be recommended to get a COVID-19 vaccine first.
Experts are working on how to distribute these limited vaccines in a fair, ethical, and transparent way. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) gave to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which will make recommendations to the CDC director once a vaccine(s) is authorized or approved for use.
6.At first, COVID-19 vaccines may not be recommended for children.
In early clinical trials for various COVID-19 vaccines, only non-pregnant adults participated. However, clinical trials continue to expand those recruited to participate. The groups recommended to receive the vaccines could change in the future.
7. Cost will not be an obstacle to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccine providers will be able to charge administration fees for giving or administering the shot to someone. Vaccine providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.
8. COVID-19 vaccine planning is being updated as new information becomes available.
CDC will continue to update this website as plans develop.
So, there you have it! Trust your doctor to so the right thing. If she or she gets the vaccine, they have also done the research.