Elderly vs. Essential Workers: Who Should Get the Coronavirus Vaccine First?


In September, academic researchers analyzed the Department of Homeland Security’s list of essential workers and found that it largely reflected the demographics of the American labor force. The researchers proposed a narrower, more sensitive category – “frontline workers”, such as food delivery, cashier and emergency medical technicians, who should work face-to-face with others and therefore increase the risk of contracting the virus.

By this definition, Cornell University labor economist and author of the study, Francine D. Teachers are in a large range of essential workers, Blue said. However, when they work in classrooms rather than remotely, she said Fit into the “frontline” group. Individual states classify teachers separately.

Dr Blau said the emphasis should be on front workers if supply is low. “This is a subset of essential workers who, given the nature of their jobs, must provide their labor individually. The higher the risk, the greater the risk. “

The analysis, a working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research, corresponds to that of other critics, who say the list of required workers is too extensive.

Saad B., director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, working on the vaccination framework of the WHO and the National Academy. “If the groups are too large, then you’re not really focusing on priorities,” Omer said.

Essential workers on the federal list make up about 70 percent of the American labor force, compared to 426 percent of frontline workers, the researchers said. Women have a frontline percentage of frontline workers and, in some occupations, even more. The level of education of frontline workers is low, as is their wages – on average, the proportion of black and Hispanic workers less than $ 22 in just one hour is higher than the wide range of essential workers.