Important Information about COVID-19 Vaccination and Sub-Prioritization among Recommended Populations

As was shared by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness last week, the The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published guidance that provides considerations for phased implementation of COVID-19 vaccination and sub-prioritization among recommended sub-populations.

For the homelessness services community, the two major takeaways from this CDC guidance are:

1. “Frontline essential” workers are a subset of “essential” workers and are defined as workers in close proximity to others (e.g., closer than 6 feet). CDC recommends that “frontline essential” workers be included in the 1b vaccination group.
2. Because of increased rates of transmission within congregate living settings, and based on local epidemiology and implementation considerations, tribal, state and local jurisdictions may choose to vaccinate homelessness residents at the same time as they vaccinate “frontline essential” workers (eg within the 1b vaccination group).

Communities are strongly encouraged to review your state's vaccination plan and to reach out to your local and state public health partners to ensure there is a clear understanding of when and how people experiencing homelessness will be prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or need help connecting with local or state public health partners.