The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer.
The U.S. government had distributed about 190 million doses to the states and other jurisdictions by the end of March. Approximately 148 million doses have been administered. About 20% of the population is said to be fully vaccinated.
What was the approval process for these vaccines?
How many doses of the vaccines are needed to work?
How many Americans need to be vaccinated to significantly control the spread of COVID-19?
How long will it take to vaccinate enough Americans and achieve herd immunity?
President Biden announced 150 million shots were administered in 75 days of his administration. President Biden believes a more normal Fourth of July is within reach.
“We should not get so fixated on this elusive number of herd immunity. We should just be concerned about getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can because herd immunity is still somewhat of an elusive number… And every day that goes by now, with more than 2 million doses going into people, we’re getting closer and closer to control of this pandemic,” Dr. Fauci said in March.
Note: It is unclear how long an individual remains immune to COVID-19 after infection or vaccination.
What are some of the factors that may affect that timeline?
Who decides how much vaccine each state gets, and how are those allocations determined?
Who’s getting the vaccine first, and what’s the sequence for other groups?
What constitutes an “essential employee” and how are decisions being made about prioritization within that group while supplies remain limited?
The categorizations have been used to prioritize the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. “Critical infrastructure workforce varies by jurisdiction,” according to the document, which is intended to inform state and local planning processes. “Each jurisdiction must decide which groups to focus on when vaccine supply is limited by determining key sectors that may be within their populations (e.g., port-related workers in coastal jurisdictions).”
The Kaiser Family Foundation has compiled state distribution plans. The National Academy for State Health Policy analyzed those plans and shared key observations.
How do I get a shot?
How much does it cost to get vaccinated?
Whatcanbusinessesandlocalchambersdotosupportmassvaccination?
This is important because, as noted in the NationalStrategyfor theCOVID-19 Response, the government is prioritizing engagement with the business community and plans to work with large employers to establish workplace vaccination centers. Businesses of all sizes can promote vaccination to workers and customers. They can also collaborate with local and state health authorities to support mass vaccination efforts by providing space, volunteers, or other critical support. Visit this trackerto learn more about the ways businesses are stepping up.
Can we stop wearing masks and practicing social distancing now that vaccines are available?
Face coverings reduce the risk to the wearer and to those they come in contact with by reducing the risk that droplets containing the novel coronavirus will pass from one person to another. (Mayo)
Face masks are not a substitute for social distancing. CDC recommends staying at least six feet away from anyone who is not in your household. (CDC)
If you already had COVID-19, do you still need to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine?
Is it normal to experience side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination?
What are the vaccine efficacy estimates for authorized COVID-19 vaccines?
When are people considered to be fully vaccinated?
What precautions should you take after being fully vaccinated?
What activities are safe after you’ve been vaccinated?
Where can I find more information and stay up to date?
- Dashboard: COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States (CDC)
- Vaccine Communication Toolkit for Essential Workers (CDC)
- Interactive Map of COVID-19 Clinical Trials in the U.S. (U.S. Chamber)
- What You Need to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines (CDC)
- Video: What Black America Needs to Know about COVID-19 and Vaccines (Black Coalition Against COVID-19)
- Vaccine Development 101 (FDA)
- Digital Resources Center (U.S. Chamber)
- The Best Ways for Employers to Promote COVID-19 Vaccines (U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation)
- 10 Steps to Host a Vaccine Clinic (U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation)
- Tip Sheet for Local Chambers in the Fight Against COVID-19 (U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation)
