Have you been waiting patiently for a vaccine to put an end to your Coronavirus worries? Good news: your answer may be right around the corner! Well…maybe.
Federal government officials have announced that some coronavirus vaccines may be available before Christmas. The optimism is spreading as many states are preparing to start the vaccination process in December.
Unfortunately, everyone may not be eligible to receive vaccination as soon as it hits the market. It all depends on the availability and approval of vaccines, the speed at which it is produced and disseminated, and who is given access first.
Healthcare workers may be first in line to get immunized against the virus, but the general population may still have to wait a few months into 2021 before taking action – especially those healthy children and adults who are not a member of the elderly population.
What Happens in December?
There’s a chance that those most vulnerable to the ill effects of the pandemic, healthcare workers and nursing home residents, may be eligible for vaccination in December.
The big day for these decisions is Tuesday, December 1. That’s when the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices gather to vote on who should get access to the vaccination first.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a meeting on the calendar for December 10 and December 17 to authorize a vaccine.
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, an independent group of experts, plan to discuss emergency use authorization for the Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna vaccines.
The FDA will use these discussions and recommendations to guide their decision on the vaccines.
There’s another option on the table. The FDA could provide emergency use authorization as soon as the second week of December for Pfizer’s vaccine.
Then, the Operation Warp Speed partnership initiated by the government can come in and