Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-19-cidrap-viewpoint
COVID-19: The CIDRAP Viewpoint
Report 7: "Reassessing COVID-19 vaccine deployment in anticipation of a US B.1.1.7 surge: stay the course or pivot?" (Feb 23, 2021),
In the seventh Viewpoint report, published February 23, 2021,"Reassessing COVID-19 vaccine deployment in anticipation of a US B.1.1.7 surge: stay the course or pivot?" CIDRAP and other top US experts note that, with a likely surge of the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant in the US, there is a small window to maximize protection from COVID-19 vaccines by focusing first doses on people 65 years old and older and delaying second doses to other groups.
In the US, nearly half of all COVID-19 hospitalizations and 80% of COVID-19 deaths are among those 65 and older. Compared with 5- to 17-year-olds, the elderly have a 35-fold to 80-fold increase in hospitalizations and a 1,100-fold to 7,900-fold increase in deaths, depending on age-group within those 65 and older.
In addition, data so far show strong protection from one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The authors recommend several steps:
COVID-19: The CIDRAP Viewpoint
Report 7: "Reassessing COVID-19 vaccine deployment in anticipation of a US B.1.1.7 surge: stay the course or pivot?" (Feb 23, 2021),
In the seventh Viewpoint report, published February 23, 2021,"Reassessing COVID-19 vaccine deployment in anticipation of a US B.1.1.7 surge: stay the course or pivot?" CIDRAP and other top US experts note that, with a likely surge of the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant in the US, there is a small window to maximize protection from COVID-19 vaccines by focusing first doses on people 65 years old and older and delaying second doses to other groups.
In the US, nearly half of all COVID-19 hospitalizations and 80% of COVID-19 deaths are among those 65 and older. Compared with 5- to 17-year-olds, the elderly have a 35-fold to 80-fold increase in hospitalizations and a 1,100-fold to 7,900-fold increase in deaths, depending on age-group within those 65 and older.
In addition, data so far show strong protection from one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The authors recommend several steps:
- Advisers to the FDA and CDC should urgently review the existing data (e.g., epidemiology, virology, immunology, modeling) to determine how best to use the current vaccine supply and the supply that will be available in the coming months. The review should cover all available data on vaccine protection afforded by one and two doses of the two FDA-approved mRNA COVID vaccines—those produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and by Moderna—as well as any vaccines likely to be approved in the coming weeks.
- To optimize the vaccine supply, experts should consider whether existing data support age-based allocation with highest priority given to adults 65 and older, deferring second doses of mRNA vaccines to after the surge, deferring the second dose of mRNA vaccines in individuals with confirmed previous COVID-19 infections, and/or the authorization and use of a half-dose regimen for the Moderna vaccine.
- If the data review supports a change of current authorizations or recommendations, the FDA should revise its authorization determination as soon as possible.
- A coordinated public communications campaign must be undertaken to provide clear and consistent messaging to the public regarding any change in the vaccine schedule or prioritization groups due to the deferment of second doses of vaccines.