COVER STORY
Here ' s What We Know about the COVID Vaccine
NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION
Anticipation for the COVID-19
vaccine is quickly growing following the Food and Drug Administration ’ s ( FDA ) December 11 approval of an emergency use authorization for the first vaccine candidate . Healthcare workers across the country received the first doses just days later , but many are questioning where they , or their profession , falls in the vaccine distribution plan .
The same is true for the apartment industry . Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U . S . in March 2020 , residential property management staff have been on the frontlines , keeping their residents safe at home and ensuring rental housing remains operational . These industry professionals are doing important work as essential workers and should be given priority in the next phase of the vaccination program . Maintenance professionals , many of whom are people of color and have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 , are in most need of protection from the virus , given their close contact with residents in their homes .
At the highest levels , federal agencies have been coordinating with manufacturers on the production and delivery of the vaccine for months through Operation Warp Speed , and now millions of doses are being distributed to the states , upon the FDA ’ s issuance of an emergency use authorization . For its part , the U . S . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ( ACIP ) has released its recommendations to states for the initial phases of the COVID-19 vaccination program . In Phase 1a , health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities were prioritized for vaccination .
On December 20 , the ACIP approved its recommendations for the next phases of the vaccination program , by a vote of 13 to 1 .
In phase 1b , the ACIP recommends that “ frontline essential workers ” and persons 75 years and older be prioritized next in the distribution of the limited supply of vaccine doses . The term “ frontline essential worker ” is defined to include : fire fighters , police officers , corrections officers , food and agricultural workers , Postal Service workers , manufacturing workers , grocery store workers , public transit workers , those who work in the education sector ( teachers , and support staff ), as well as daycare workers .
In phase 1c , the ACIP recommends prioritization of " other essential workers ", adults 65 to 74 , and adults 16 to 64 with high risk medical conditions .
The National Apartment Association is awaiting more guidance from the CDC as the ACIP ’ s recommendations do not become official until they are published in the CDC ' s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report .
22 | TRENDS JANUARY 2021 www . aamdhq . org