(Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said that phases of priority group vaccination against COVID-19 may overlap, clarifying the guidelines many states are already applying as a way to get as many Americans injected as possible.
The CDC has said health workers and nursing home residents should have priority on vaccines, followed by those over 75 and essential workers. On Friday, the CDC changed its website to underline that these phases can overlap, essentially giving the green light to what many states are already doing.
Each state has its own vaccine distribution plan, with little oversight and involvement from the federal government. This week, US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said the CDC’s priority recommendations were just that and shouldn’t get in the way of shooting Americans.
While the federal government has dispensed more than 21 million doses, only about 6 million have been administered.
A spokesperson for the CDC said the information was previously available on a section of the site that contained priority recommendations from the outside advisory panel.
Reporting by Rebecca Spalding; Editing by Kevin Liffey