At first, vaccine distribution will be limited and prioritized to paid and unpaid (volunteer) persons working in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from home, as well as residents and workers in long term care facilities.
Priority One
Keep critical health care infrastructure open and functioning (e.g., hospitals, critical care units and emergency medical response systems) through vaccination of staff who perform direct patient care and work in critical areas including:
- Group A: Emergency medical service providers, including medical first responders
- Group B: General medical floor
- Group C: Emergency department
- Group D: Intensive care units
Priority Two
Prevent outbreaks and protect residents in long-term care facilities.
- Group A: Workers who have direct contact with a large number of vulnerable residents. Note: this would include staff who come in and out of the buildings.
- Skilled nursing facility staff
- Psychiatric hospital staff
- Homes for aged staff
- Adult foster care centers staff
- Assisted living facility staff
- Home health care workers caring for high risk clients with large patient loads (e.g., people with a tracheostomy/ventilator at home)
- Group B: Vulnerable residents in long-term care facilities.
- Skilled nursing facility residents
- Psychiatric hospital patients
- Homes for aged residents
- Adult foster care centers residents
- Assisted living facility residents
Priority Three
Keep necessary health care infrastructure functioning.
- Group A: Workers with direct patient contact who conduct high-risk procedures (e.g., dentists, endoscopy, dialysis)
- Group B: Vaccinate other workers who have direct patient contact, including outpatient, urgent care, ambulatory care and home health care
- Group C: Vaccinate workers who have indirect patient contact with specialized skills critical to health care system functioning (e.g., hospital and public health laboratories, pharmacy)