ATLANTA — With initial COVID-19 vaccine doses expected to be very limited, on Tuesday, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee here in Atlanta will vote on who should receive a vaccine first.
On Monday, Governor Brian Kemp announced Georgia could receive its first doses as early as mid-December.
Moderna has become the second pharmaceutical company to file for a COVID-19 vaccine emergency-use authorization. If approved, they could begin distributing a limited supply before the end of the year.
"A limited supply of vaccines, probably around 30 to 40 million doses at most, and how do you best allocate them and who do you give them to?" Dr. Carlos del Rio said as he discussed what should initially be available for COVID-19 vaccine doses.
Del Rio, an infectious disease expert with Emory University, said that is what the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices inside the CDC will consider and vote on Tuesday.
"I suspect that healthcare workers, first responders will be among the first to receive the vaccine and, after that, there is a lot of debate of whether it needs to be older individuals in congregational settings or minorities at high risk of complications," he said.
The Associated Press reports, "The panel of experts recommends who to vaccinate and when -- advice that the government almost always follows. The agenda for next week’s emergency meeting was posted Friday"
The wide-scale distribution could come by summer del Rio said, with a goal of 70 percent of people having an immunity - either by the vaccine or previous infection.
"At this point in time, maybe 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population has had the disease," he said.
"Expect to be able to begin vaccinating individuals by the second or third week in December," Gov. Brian Kemp said. "Obviously, that timeline could change."
And Governor Kemp also discussed vaccinations. He also expects those facing the virus daily will get the first doses.
"Which includes long-term care facility staff and other front line health care workers," Kemp said.
And, with nursing homes having been a source of COVID-19 outbreaks, Walgreen's and CVS have now partnered with the CDC to eventually bring a vaccine directly to long-term care residents who often cannot travel to a clinic.
More than 95 percent of Georgia's nursing homes have already enrolled with the CDC through the CVS and Walgreen's partnership, according to Kemp.
And Governor Kemp, Monday afternoon, also signed an order expanding who will be able to give vaccination shots including in drive-thru clinics as the state prepares for distribution.