The dilemma we face: Who should get the Covid 19 vaccine first?
With the corona virus pandemic surging and initial vaccine limited; we face a hard choice: Should the immunization program focus in the early months on the elderly and people with serious medical conditions, who are dying of the virus at the highest rates, or on essentials workers who have borne the greatest risk of infection?
Ultimately, the choice comes down to whether preventing death or curbing the spread of the virus and returning to some semblance of normalcy is the highest priority. If the goal is to maximize the preservation of human life, then you would bias the vaccine toward the elderly. If the goal is to reduce the rate of infection, then you would prioritize essential workers. Some health policy experts say that to prioritize preventing deaths rather than reducing virus transmission was simply a pragmatic choice, because there won’t be enough vaccine initially available to make a meaningful dent in contagion. A more effective use of limited quantities, they say, is to save the lives of the most frail.
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