Table 2. Priorities for COVID-19 vaccination in major countries.
| Country/international organization | Stage/phase | Priority | |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Health Organization,21 Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization | Community transmission | ||
| Stage 1. Very limited vaccine availability, 1%–10% of national population | • 1a: Health workers at high to very high risk | ||
| • 1b: Older adults defined by age-based risk | |||
| Stage 2. Limited vaccine availability, 11%–20% of national population | • Older adults not covered in Stage I | ||
| • Groups with comorbidities or health states determined to be at significantly higher risk | |||
| • Health workers engaged in immunization delivery | |||
| • High-priority teachers and school staff | |||
| Stage 3. Moderate vaccine availability, 21%–50% of national population | • Remaining teachers and school staff | ||
| • Other essential workers outside health and education sectors (police officers, municipal services, transportation workers, etc.) | |||
| • Pregnant women | |||
| • Health workers at low to moderate risk | |||
| • Personnel needed for vaccine production and other high-risk laboratory staff | |||
| • Social/employment groups at elevated risk | |||
| Clusters of cases | |||
| Stage 1. Very limited vaccine availability, for 1%–10% of national population | • Health workers at high to very high risk of acquiring and transmitting infection | ||
| • Older adults defined by age-based risk, in areas with high transmission or anticipated high transmission | |||
| • Emergency reserves for outbreak response or mitigation | |||
| Stage 2. Limited vaccine availability, for 11%–20% of national population | • Health workers at high to very high risk of acquiring and transmitting infection | ||
| • Older adults defined by age-based risk, in the rest of the country | |||
| • Groups with comorbidities or health states determined to be at significantly higher risk and sociodemographic groups at significantly higher risk, in areas with high transmission or anticipated high transmission | |||
| Stage 3. Moderate vaccine availability, for 21%–50% of national population | • Primary and secondary teachers and school staff | ||
| • Other essential workers outside health and education sectors and social/employment groups at elevated risk, in areas with high transmission or anticipated high transmission | |||
| • Health workers at low to moderate risk, country-wide | |||
| • Age groups at high risk of transmission, country-wide | |||
| • Personnel needed for vaccine production and other high-risk laboratory staff | |||
| • Pregnant women | |||
| United States22/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices | Phase 1a | • Health care workers | |
| • Long-term care facility residents | |||
| Phase 1b | • Frontline essential workers | ||
| • Persons aged ≥ 75 yr | |||
| Phase 1c | • Persons aged 65–74 yr | ||
| • Persons aged 16–64 yr with high-risk medical conditions | |||
| • Essential workers not recommended for vaccination in Phase 1b | |||
| Phase 2 | • All persons aged ≥ 16 yr who have not been vaccinated | ||
| United Kingdom23/Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation | Phase 1 | • Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers | |
| • Persons aged ≥ 80 yr | |||
| • Frontline health and social care workers | |||
| • Persons aged ≥ 75 yr | |||
| • Persons aged ≥ 70 yr | |||
| • Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals | |||
| • Persons aged ≥ 65 yr | |||
| • All individuals aged 16–64 yr with underlying health conditions | |||
| • Persons aged ≥ 60 yr | |||
| • Persons aged ≥ 55 yr | |||
| • Persons aged ≥ 50 yr | |||
| Next phase | • First responders; military personnel | ||
| • Those involved in the justice system, teachers, transport workers, and public servants essential to the pandemic response | |||
| Germany24/Robert Koch Institute | Phase 1 | • Residents at nursing homes | |
| • People aged > 80 yr | |||
| • Employees of medical facilities at very high risk | |||
| • Staff at nursing homes | |||
| Phase 2 | • Persons aged 75–79 yr | ||
| • Other high risk health workers | |||
| • Dementia patients | |||
| • Dementia center staff | |||
| • People with Down's syndrome | |||
| Phase 3 | • Persons aged 70–74 yr | ||
| • Transplant patients | |||
| • Persons at high risk with underlying health conditions | |||
| • Residents of shelters for the homeless or asylum seekers | |||
| • People who are close contacts of pregnant women | |||
| • Those who work in close contact with people at high risk | |||
| • Other health workers | |||
| Phase 4 | • Persons aged 65–69 yr | ||
| • Persons with underlying health conditions | |||
| • Health workers at low risk | |||
| • Teachers | |||
| • Socially vulnerable groups | |||
| Phase 5 | • Persons aged 60–64 yr | ||
| • People in particularly relevant positions in state institutions | |||
| • Retail workers | |||
| • Police | |||
| • Essential workers | |||
| Phase 6 | • Persons aged < 60 yr | ||
| Australia25/Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation | Phase 1: Those who have an increased risk, of developing severe disease or dying from COVID-19 | • Older adults | |
| • People with pre-existing underlying select medical conditions | |||
| • Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders | |||
| Phase 2: Those who are at increased risk of exposure and hence of being infected with and transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to others at risk of severe disease or are in a setting with high transmission potential | • Health and aged care workers | ||
| • Other care workers | |||
| • People in other settings at an increased risk of virus transmission | |||
| Phase 3: Those working in services critical to societal functioning | • Selected essential services personnel | ||
| • Other key occupations required for societal functions | |||
| Canada26/National Advisory Committee on Immunization | Stage 1 | • Residents and staff of congregate living settings that provide care for seniors | |
| • Adults ≥ 70 yr of age, beginning with adults ≥ 80 yr of age, then decreasing the age limit in 5-year increments to age 70 yr as supply becomes available | |||
| • Health care workers | |||
| • Adults in indigenous communities | |||
| Stage 2 | • Health care workers not included in the initial rollout | ||
| • Residents and staff of all other congregate settings (e.g., quarters for migrant workers, correctional facilities, homeless shelters) | |||
| • Essential workers | |||
| France27/Haute Autorité de Santé (French National Authority of Health) | Phase 1 | • Patients in home care | |
| • Health professionals aged over 65 and/or with comorbidity | |||
| Phase 2 | • Persons aged > 75 yr | ||
| • Persons aged > 65 with comorbidity | |||
| • Persons aged > 65 yr | |||
| • Health professionals aged > 50 yr and/or with comorbidity | |||
| Phase 3 | • Persons aged > 50 yr | ||
| • Persons aged < 50 with comorbidity | |||
| • Essential workers | |||
| Phase 4 | • Essential workers | ||
| • Workers with public contact | |||
| • People in precarious situation (the homeless, prisoners) | |||
| Phase 5 | • All persons aged > 18 years regardless of medical conditions | ||
| Sweden28,29/Folkhälsomyndigheten, The Public Health Agency of Sweden | Priority groups | • People who live in elderly care homes or receive at-home care, primarily those aged > 70 yr | |
| • Healthcare and care workers who have close contact with vulnerable people | |||
| • Other adults who share a household with people receiving at-home care | |||
| Japan30/Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | Priority groups | • Medical and other workers at risk | |
| • People aged > 65 yr | |||
| • People with one of 14 types of underlying health conditions (chronic respiratory diseases, cardiac diseases, obesity, diabetes and cancer) | |||
| China31/The National Health Commission | Priority groups | • Front-line workers | |
| • Those aged 18–59 years employed at ports | |||
| • Delivery companies | |||
| • The transportation industry | |||
| • Health and sanitation | |||
| • Public servants | |||
| • Police and firefighters | |||
| • Utilities, aged-care | |||
| • Telecommunications | |||
| • People whose work or studies overseas | |||
| Saudi Arabia32,33/Ministry of Health | Stage 1 | • Citizens and residents aged ≥ 65 yr | |
| • Professionals who are at the highest risk | |||
| • People who are obese and have a BMI of > 40 kg/m2 | |||
| • Persons with immune deficiency including organ transplant recipients or those taking immunosuppressive drugs | |||
| • Persons with two or more chronic diseases including asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease | |||
| Stage 2 | • Citizens aged > 50 yr | ||
| • Health practitioners | |||
| • Those who have one of the following chronic diseases: asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease | |||
| • Persons with active cancer | |||
| • Persons with obesity and BMI 30–40 kg/m2 | |||
| Stage 3 | • All citizens and residents who consent to being vaccinated | ||
| Israel34,35/Ministry of Health | Priority groups | • Medical staff - anyone with patient contact | |
| • Medical staff | • Residents in welfare institutions (care home centers) and their caregivers | ||
| • People aged > 60 yr | • Persons aged > 40 yr | ||
| • Those with high risk conditions | • Persons with immune deficiencies | ||
| • Patients with cystic fibrosis or severe restrictive disorder due to muscular dystrophy | |||
| • Close caregivers of elderly | |||
| • Burial facility workers | |||
| • Prisoners and wardens | |||
| • Pregnant women or women planning to be pregnant | |||
| • Preschool and school teachers | |||
COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019, BMI = body mass index.