When Should Teenagers Expect To Get the COVID Vaccine?
According to the New York Times COVID Vaccine timeline, the average teenager is currently in line behind 20.7 million people in California and nearly behind 1.7 million people in San Diego country.
Across California, both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been administered to healthcare personnel, essential workers, and people over the age of 65. However, the COVID-19 vaccines still have not been publicly available for children and teenagers.
Administering the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the world’s next steps in going back to pre-lockdown life. As specified by the the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on December 20, 2020, the current goal with the vaccine is to “reduce transmission, morbidity, mortality of COVID-19 disease” and “help minimize disruption to society and the economy, including maintaining healthcare capacity.”
California is currently in Phase 1A where vaccinations are focused on healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities. In February, California will be entering Phase 1B where vaccines will be given to essential workers at risk of exposure, like educators and agriculture workers. People ages 16-49 with underlying health conditions will be administered the vaccine later in its rollout.
While the people who have been treated with the vaccine would gain immunity, it can still spread through both the unvaccinated and those who have been vaccinated. The CDC advises current health measures, like wearing masks, should continue to prevent further spread.
Many San Diego employers and businesses have already stated that they will require personnel to be vaccinated as soon as possible.
Both Poway and San Diego Unified School Districts have delayed plans on school reopenings and plans to reopen are still subject to change.
In December, Pfizer and Moderna began to include teenagers in the vaccine trials, however both companies have been struggling to find enough teenage volunteers for the trials. The short number of willing volunteers may potentially delay when children and teenargers may receive the vaccine nationally.
California predicts that the COVID-19 vaccine will be accessible for children and teenagers in the summer. People of all ages would be administered the vaccine in Phase 3, which is estimated to begin between April and July.
While the vaccine is not available for everyone just yet, and the return to Del Norte for on-campus learning this school year is still uncertain, complying with the current social distancing guidelines will reduce risk of exposure.