Truck drivers and other transportation workers deemed “essential” by the U.S. government could be among the first to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if supplies are limited.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explained in a recent update that the agency is making COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for the U.S. based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group of public health experts within the CDC.
“If the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] authorizes or approves a COVID-19 vaccine, ACIP will quickly hold a public meeting to review all available data about that vaccine,” according to the update. “From these data, ACIP will then vote on whether to recommend the vaccine and, if so, who should receive it.” Recommendations must be approved by the director of CDC before becoming official CDC policy.
Included in ACIP’s recommendations, CDC noted, will be guidance on who should receive COVID-19 vaccines in the case of limited supplies. ACIP is considering four groups to possibly recommend for early COVID-19 vaccination: health care personnel, those with underlying medical conditions, people over 65, and workers in essential and critical industries.
Among those defined by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency as essential are truck drivers, warehouse operators, ship crews, air cargo workers and U.S. Postal Service workers.
“Workers in essential and critical industries are considered part of America’s critical infrastructure,” CDC noted. “Current data show that many of these workers are at increased risk for getting COVID-19. Early vaccine access is critical not only to protect them but also to maintain the essential services they provide U.S. communities.”
With vaccine candidates recently emerging from Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) for emergency review by the FDA, vaccine distribution could begin as early as early as December. FDA said it is reviewing requests “as expeditiously as possible, while still doing so in a thorough and science-based manner, so that we can help make available a vaccine that the American people deserve as soon as possible.”
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TomBenjamin
I was wondering if a covid vaccine for commercial drivers will deleat their medical. As if a air plane pilot cant take it do to it their medical is no longer good to them .. and truck drivers are not effective
Ken
As long as they keep it voluntary. I want to wait a few years for the side effects to be studied. Already caught the bug and it really wasn’t that bad for me
Joe
Some employers may require a covid vaccination
Rachel Rolanda Harrisboyd
I’m glad they have a vaccine for 2021 because they saying at first it would be 2022. Esp for drivers traveling in and out of states and countries along with other workers plus healthcare and law enforcement it’s critical . Even though some might not choose to do the flu vaccine and Covid vac as long as most people get it that’s in those groups named above along with children because this could and will slow the spread and then stop the spread of what’s going on . 🙏 💘
Dave Hill
I won’t be one of the sheep taking the vaccine for the big distraction virus. Follow the money for the planned population control. Don’t file in lockstep with communism !!
Vernon Sanford
I guess you are one of the sheep not wearing your mask.
Joe
I love people like you frees up vaccine for others
Stephen Webster
We need to put health care workers and people living in nursing homes ahead of truck drivers. We need to look at the priority list and a manager or a lawyer can afford to pay more than a truck driver can. We need to look at all so called essential workers and foreign workers of the importance of their work and risk.
Bob
You don’t have a clue what your talking about. A manager or a lawyer may make more. Even have a higher education. But with out a truck driver you would be setting in the woods naked. Everything you have was on a truck at one point or another. Including your electricity and the natural gas. How do you think they got the supplies to make it? I use to haul nitrogen in to natural gas wells for them to use to get the gas out of the ground. And watched them turn it into a liquid and haul it out in trucks and on the rail. So with out these non-essential window licking truck drivers. Nobody except a native American Indian. Wouldn’t have there all mighty toilet paper to wipe there back side’s.
Stephen Webster
I did not say a lawyer was more important
What I said was they could pay more. Truck drivers and many other essential workers like PSWs are way underpaid. I don’t trust private insurance companies on this one
I have driven truck for years until my health broke from pushing too much
I am currently camped in Goderich Ont in front of the insurance company head office.