A federal advisory panel on Sunday made a request that front-line workers and vulnerable people over the age of 75 be the next in line to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
The designated group would include around 49 million people in the country, according to the Washington Post.
Front-line workers make up about 30 million people who can’t work remotely, including essential workers who labor in meat plants, grocery stores, prisons, and more. Approximately 19 million people in the United States are over 75 years old. The latter group has been accounted for a quarter of hospitalizations across the country and makes up a significant portion of COVID-19 related deaths.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 13 to 1 to make these recommendations. They also voted to cover an even larger group of people as the third priority group, which would include 129 million people.
The third-tier group would include adults 65 to 74 and 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions. Essential workers who work in finance, information technology, food service, and other areas would also be included in this group.
The Pfizer vaccine began rolling out to healthcare workers last week and is making its way to the country’s elderly population in care homes. The Moderna vaccine, which was recently approved, is expected to begin distribution this week.
Federal officials predict the vaccine could become available to the general public by April, though an overall consensus has not been made on the timeline.
The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 17 million cases and killed over 300,000 in the U.S.
