Because of the U.S. supply of COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be limited at first, the CDC is providing recommendations to federal, state,
and local governments about who should be vaccinated first. While the CDC makes recommendations for who should be offered the COVID-19 vaccine first, each state has its own plan for deciding who will be vaccinated first and how they can receive vaccines.
Please contact your local health department for more information on the COVID-19 vaccination in your area.
PHASE 1A
Healthcare personnel
By providing critical care to those who are or might be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, healthcare personnel have a high risk of being exposed to and getting sick with COVID-19. If they're sick, healthcare personnel are not able to work and provide key services to patients. They can also spread the virus to those they're caring for, including hospitalized patients and residents of long-term care facilities.
Long-term care facility residents
Making sure long-term care facility residents receive the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as vaccines are available will help save the lives of those who are most at risk of dying from COVID-19.
PHASE 1B
Frontline essential workers
Frontline essential workers include firefighters, police officers, corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those in the educational sector. People aged 75 years and older People aged 75 years and older are at high risk of hospitalization, illness, and death from COVID-19.
PHASE 1C
People aged 65-74 years
People aged 65 to 74 years are also at high risk of hospitalization, illness and death from COVID-19.
People aged 16 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions
People aged 16 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions can have increased risk of serious life-threatening complications from COVID-19.
Other Essential Workers
Other essential workers include those who work in transportation and logistics, food service, housing construction and finance, information technology, communications, energy, law, media, public safety, and public health.
Future Phases
As vaccine availability increases, vaccination recommendations will expand to include more groups. The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as large enough quantities of vaccine are available.