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College Students Among Last on List for COVID Vaccines

Sophia Solano

   College and university students are low on the list to receive COVID-19
   vaccines, according to recent estimates.

   Unless students are classified as essential workers -- such as medical,
   nursing, medtech or student teachers -- or have a health condition --
   such as human immunodeficiency virus or cancer -- they are not likely
   to receive the COVID-19 vaccine until at least April, [1]according to
   Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and
   Infectious Diseases.

   An assessment by the National Academiesof Sciences, Engineering and
   Medicine ([2]NASEM) of who should receive the vaccine and in whatorder
   placedyounger people at a low priority compared with older recipients
   or people with health issues that make them more vulnerable to
   COVID-19complications.

   NASEM created the assessment at the direction of the U.S. Centers for
   Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta and the U.S. National
   Institutes of Health (NIH) in Maryland in October 2020. While the CDC
   recommends vaccination rollout procedures, states determine how to
   implement vaccine distribution.

   Students say they are eager for campuses to reopen and classes to
   resume in person, and that inoculating students with the COVID-19
   vaccine will hasten a return to education.

   But distribution efforts have been disorganized, with delays, a lack of
   supply and appointment cancellations, compounded by varying policies in
   each state.

References

   1. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/07/954324536/december-was-pandemics-deadliest-month-vaccine-process-has-been-slow
   2. https://www.nap.edu/read/25917/chapter/1#iii

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