Some states buck federal vaccine recommendations, prioritize elderly over essential workers
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the local media before receiving a dose of a Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine at the Ascension Seton Medical Center on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (Ricardo B. Brazziell /Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Published December 30. 2020 1:16AM
Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Washington Post
Some of the most populous states are shelving federal recommendations and making coronavirus vaccines available to the elderly before providing access to grocery store employees, transit staffers and other front-line workers.
Officials are pursuing such strategies in Florida and Texas, where a combined 50 million people live. The divergence reflects differing needs in a highly diverse country where the coronavirus has killed unevenly, but it also highlights an emerging patchwork that could pose obstacles for the nationwide immunization campaign to corral the pandemic.
Republican-led states like Florida, Texas and Ohio IGNORE CDC vaccine guidelines and prioritize over-65s ahead of essential workers - as images emerge of elderly waiting overnight in line to get their shot
Republican-led states Florida, Texas and Ohio are ignoring CDC guidelines and allowing the elderly to get vaccinated ahead of some frontline workers
In Lee County, Florida on Sunday night senior citizens waited outside in lawn chairs to be first in line for the vaccine Monday
The CDC currently recommends that non-medical frontline workers and those 75 and older get vaccinated at the same time under Phase 1b
But, some states are prioritizing elderly and asking frontline workers to wait
Some states buck federal recommendations, prioritize vaccinating elderly over essential workers
Florida and Texas have diverged perhaps most starkly from the recommendations of the CDC advisory group.
By Isaac Stanley-BeckerWashington Post
Read Article
Patricia Wasseman, holds Hermina Levin s hands as nurse Eva Diaz administers the Pfizer vaccine at John Knox Village, Wednesday, Dec. 16, in Pompano Beach, Fla. AP Photo/Marta Lavandier
Some of the most populous states are shelving federal recommendations and making coronavirus vaccines available to the elderly before providing access to grocery store employees, transit staffers and other front-line workers.
Officials are pursuing such strategies in Florida and Texas, where a combined 50 million people live. The divergence reflects differing needs in a highly diverse country where the coronavirus has killed unevenly, but it also highlights an emerging patchwork that could pose obstacles for the nationwide immunization campaig
Florida and Texas discard CDC vaccine framework and prioritize the elderly over essential workers washingtonpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.