HCAOA The Voice Winter 2020

16 HCAOA The Voice PUBLIC POLICY COVID-19 Vaccine A C T I O N P L A N VACCINES TYPICALLY REQUIRE YEARS OF RESEARCH and testing before reaching the public, but given the number of cases and the severity of the coronavirus, scientists are racing to produce a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine that will be widely available by next year. As of early December, researchers are testing 55 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and at least 87 preclinical vaccines are under active investiga - tion in animals. When will vaccines be available? The Food and Drug Administration will consider emergency approval requests by December 10. After a vaccine is approved, first inoculations can occur quickly. Who gets them first? Planning documents call for patients, health care workers, public safety personnel, and vulnerable populations to receive vaccines first. Broad availability may come months later. Each state has been tasked with developing its own vaccine action plan. The Home Care Association of America has been on the front lines with our state chapters encouraging state health officials to include home care in their definition of health care workers. Vaccine Projects Preclinical Phase I Phase II Phase III Limited use Approved 164 37 17 13 6 0 Source: World Health Organization, December 2020