Updates: 12/3/2020
Vaccine updates, distribution scenarios, and new quarantine guidelines
Moderna plans to test its vaccine in children ages 12-17. The study is set to have 3,000 participants. Typically, vaccines work equally well in children and adults, though in some cases doses have to be altered based on age group. Pfizer already started testing its vaccine in children back in October, though results regarding that study have yet to be released.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine received emergency use approval in the U.K. Distribution of the vaccine will begin next week, with health care workers and the elderly being the first to receive the vaccine.
A panel advising the CDC began discussions of vaccine distribution in the U.S. The panel determined that health care workers who are at most risk of contracting COVID-19 (such as those that work in the E.R., for example) and residents of nursing homes and other long term care facilities will be the first to receive the vaccine.
It is thought that after this group, essential workers who are not able to work from home will be next in line. For those that have already had COVID-19, vaccination is still recommended, as we still are unclear how long immunity lasts. However, it is thought that those who have had the virus should be last to receive the vaccine, given these individuals already have baseline immunity.
If the CDC approves this proposal, it will be shared with the states. States can choose to follow this plan or come up with their own. Likely the states will require a top health official and the governor to sign off on the final plan.
The CDC also announced new COVID quarantine rules after ongoing analysis of the virus. The quarantine period has been reduced from 14 days to 7-10 days. Without testing, the quarantine period may end at day 10 if no symptoms were reported during the course of quarantine. The risk after this period of transmission is anywhere from 1% to 10%. With testing, the quarantine period may end at day 7 if within a 48 hour period prior to Day 7 a COVID test is taken and arrives at a negative result. The risk after this period of transmission is anywhere from 5% to 12%. In either scenario, masks are still required and monitoring for symptoms is recommended.