CDC Expands COVID Vaccination Guidelines to Everyone 65 and Older

CNBC reports that the White House is releasing new guidelines that expand coronavirus vaccine eligibility to everyone 65 and older in addition to people with comorbid conditions. A senior administration official acknowledged the states' prioritization on inoculating healthcare workers and nursing communities has created a bottleneck. "States should not be waiting to complete phase 1a prioritization before proceeding to broader categories of eligibility," said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. About 53 million Americans who are 65 and older and 110 million people between 16 and 64 with comorbid conditions will now qualify to receive the vaccine if every state adopts the guidelines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As reported yesterday, the administration will stop holding back millions of doses reserved for the second round of shots of Pfizer and Moderna's two-dose vaccines.