The vaccination hierarchy plan released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is already getting pushback.
President Pro Tem of the state Senate Sen. Phil Berger issued a press release shortly after the NCDHHS plan was revealed that is headlined “Young, Healthy College Students Shouldn’t Get Vaccine Before Older Adults.”
It also notes that the whole scheme is too complicated and doesn’t prioritize age enough. According to NCDHHS, 60 percent of the deaths from COVID-19 in North Carolina have been in the over 75 age group, 23 percent in the 65 to 74 age group, 14 percent in the 50 to 64 age group, 4 percent in the 25 to 49 age group and 0 percent in the under 24 age groups. There have actually been 11 deaths in the under 24 age groups, but it is rounded to 0 percent.
The press release states, “A healthy 21-year-old college student will receive the vaccine before a 64-year-old, even though the 64-year-old faces about 100 times higher risk of death if infected.
“A healthy 24-year-old plant worker will receive the vaccine before a 73-year-old, even though the 73-year-old faces about 300 times higher risk of death if infected.”
It also notes that it will be nearly impossible to prevent a healthy young person from claiming to work in a grocery store to get a vaccine before older people at higher risk who wait their turn.
In the press release Berger said, “As it stands now, this system puts people in their 60s dead last. It does not strike me as fair or equitable to prioritize a 19-year-old over a 64-year-old just because that 19-year-old is in prison or in college. Simplicity and common sense will improve trust in public health officials; complexity will result in line-jumping and a further decline in confidence.”
According to the press release there are approximately 568,000 college students in North Carolina, roughly the same number as people between 50 and 64, but despite the much higher risk of those in the 50 to 64 age group the current plan puts college students ahead of the older adults in the vaccine line.
Isn’t this just capitalism? The healthy 24 year old plant worker contributes money to his company and helps our nation profit. The high-risk 73-year old is just a “welfare queen”. We need to make sure schools and businesses are open, right? Isn’t that what you all have been commenting for the last 6+ months? Now, when there’s a plan that actually supports getting schools and businesses going quicker (not to mention the boom for funeral homes!) it sounds like you’re upset still. Could it be you just don’t like the guy making the plan and would criticize it even if he pulled it directly from Alan Marshall’s conspiracy blog?
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that I support or hate this plan, I’m just laughing at the guy complaining that everything is still wrong when he gets a plan that clearly is targeting getting schools and businesses going again (the very thing he’s been complaining about almost all of 2020).
Typical libtard, talking out of both ends. Follow the science unless that makes sense. Nope! Can’t do that. Let’s put the libtard spin on it. The SCIENCE clearly shows as Mr.Berger states in the piece, the YOUNG and HEALTY aren’t at major risk of severe complications. I know I’m asking a ton of effort from you boneheads on the left when I say… THINK! The only reason everything including schools are closed is because of fear mongoring and disinformation. More people are wearing mask now than at any point in the pandemic and strangely enough more people are getting infected. Hmmm! Maybe the lockdowns and wearing these stupid masks are what’s causing the surge? The masks certainly are causing an excessive amount of face touching. On second thought, I wouldn’t be able to be trained for government controlled socialism if I were to THINK for myself and tell Roid Cooper and that complicit Cohen to stick their mandates and their masks up their a$$e$!!!! Think! Think!
I’m 74 years old, and who do you think you are to call me a welfare queen?!! I’ve been working since I was 14 and still provide my customers with service that meets or exceeds their expectations. Can you say the same thing about yourself?
Sen. Berger right on!
How about young US Congress Representatives and Senators getting the vaccine.
I wonder if they gave the Custodial staff at the Capitol the vaccine.
Our elected US Representatives are hypocrites.
We need term limits now and a jaw that an elective representative can’t become a lobbyist!
like many things, the KISS (keep it simple, stoopid) principle works best. Mainly because there is very little dithering and fumbling.
Caregivers first. Then start downward from the eldest and critically infirm. The state of FL is now vaccinating anyone 65 and older. You can stand in line for 4-6 hours, or you can wait by the phone for an hour or two to make your appointments for both series.
How dare Phil speak I’ll and question the pseudo science of Governor Dictator. If Phil’s lucky, Roy Boy will ignore him. If Phil’s not lucky, Roy Boy and Pandy Mandy will say that Berger is a science denier, and the media will run with it for weeks.
Pandy Mandy… I love it!!! Suit her to a T!!!