Pennsylvania has put smokers at the top of the list for getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health added “individuals aged 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions” phase 1a of his vaccine allocation plan. Smoking is listed as a high risk condition.
Healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities, and people 65 and older are also part of Pennsylvania Phase 1a. The state is now in phase 1a of its allocation plan.
A spokesperson for the department told WTAE-4 in Pittsburgh that “Pennsylvania has chosen the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] recommendations and include smoking in the list of medical conditions that put people at greater risk. “
The Pennsylvania Department of Health did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices currently recommends including individuals ages 16-64 with medical conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19 phase 1cbut states are free to adjust their distribution plans as they see fit.
The CDC says smoking rises a person’s risk of serious illness from COVID-19. To smoke impaired the immune system, making the body less able to fight disease.
The move comes as states are expanding their eligibility in a rush to vaccinate more residents. CNN reported that New Jersey and Mississippi are currently offering the vaccine to smokers, and several other states have smokers in turn.