COVID vaccine

[retatinob2]

I read they will give COVID vaccine to high risk first. I have diagnosis of mild emphysema but am young, would I not be considered high risk enough to get the vaccine?

[rosemaryxanders]

I’m also  a 46-year-old Californian who is interested in receiving a Covid vaccine early. I have alpha thalassemia trait (2 missing alpha globin genes) and travel a lot internationally for business. Is there any way, even if out of pocket and out of California, I can receive the Covid vaccine early (whether Pfizer’s or Modern’s or Astrazeneca’s)? In California, I probably won’t be able to get it till spring 2021 at the earliest, and I hope to get it much earlier. Thank you

[Paxiled]

The only way you can get a vaccine before it's approved by the FDA, and none has been yet, it to enter a trial, but of course you might get the placebo or enter a trial from a company that fails to produce a vaccine that works.  There are a lot more vaccines in trials now than the three you reference, though they are getting all the publicity because they are from publicly traded companies and two are American companies.  But even upon emergency approval, which is being sought now by those 3 companies you mention, something short of full approval but probably what will happen, again, the question depends on how the vaccine is distributed.  The federal gov't paid for these vaccines, so it's going to have a large say in how they are distributed.  What they are saying now is that vaccines can't be produced yet in sufficient numbers to vaccinate everyone, assuming everyone wants one, and so they will have to come up with a rationing system.  The only people who are almost certain to be first in line are the elderly, those with certain co-factors and these will also consist of a lot of elderly people, those in nursing homes and first responders including medical personnel.  I have no idea if your condition has any role at all in the risk of covid, and if it doesn't, you won't be first in line.  There is one other way to get it quickly, probably, and that's to be in high political office or the corporate elite.  The fact you travel a lot is a bit suspicious to me, as my understanding is that Americans can't actually go much of anywhere right now as we're too riven with uncontrolled covid to be welcome.  If you're currently traveling a lot, where is it you're actually able to go?  I'm guessing that you will probably not be first in line, as your desire to travel a lot isn't going to make you a priority.  

[Paxiled]

When I say the federal gov't paid for them, they actually did pay for the Moderna vax, but even though they didn't fund the Pfizer one they did buy most of the doses that will be first available.  

[Paxiled]

It's not that simple.  It depends first on which vaccine is available where you live.  If you live in a poor rural area without a technologically modern hospital or some other such facility it won't be where you live very soon anyway.  If a vaccine that doesn't need hyper refrigeration works well, it doesn't mean that one will be available.  Economic factors and influence is at play here.  For example, Pfizer didn't take any gov't money to participate in Operation Warp Speed, so it can do whatever it wants.  What it is doing is trying very hard to get emergency use approval the world over so it can make as much money as possible, but it can only make so much vaccine.  Know that the wealthy will be first in line, they always are.  But as to high risk, the first to get it will be essential workers, especially health care workers.  High gov't officials will get it before you do, just as President Trump and his friends have been able to get a drug from Regeneron that isn't ready for anyone else yet.  Don't actually know if it works yet, but so it goes.  The next group will probably be those in nursing homes, etc.  Meaning, way too soon to know where you'll fall in the pecking order, as it depends on a lot of factors you have no control over.  So be patient, it will come, we just don't know when.

[specialmom]

That will be something to talk to your doctor about.  If you are living at home and unable to move about in society, then you are high enough risk, I'd imagine to get the vaccine.  I think they ARE trying to get to the most vulnerable first.  Health care workers.  Then those who are high risk which is often age related and severity of conditions related.  Then teachers . . . but I imagine it is only a matter of time which will hopefully be short that you can get vaccinated.