The move to prioritize smokers over essential workers, such as teachers, has received some criticism, although the phased implementation is in line with federal guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control, which put smoking on a list of conditions “that cause a greater risk of serious illnesses from the virus that causes COVID-19. “
“Although ACIP makes recommendations, we understand that there will be a level of local adaptation. The phased vaccine recommendations should be fluid and not restrictive for jurisdictions. It is not necessary to vaccinate all individuals in one phase before starting the next phase; phases can overlap, “CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund said in a statement to CNN.
“This ideally means reaching a sweet spot that maximizes the placement of the vaccine in the arms and, at the same time, be aware of the priority groups – especially as these people are at greater risk of COVID-19 complications or are more likely to be exposed to the virus because of their jobs, “said Nordlund.
Teachers still waiting in line for vaccine
Educators in New Jersey are disappointed and frustrated at being pushed back in line, Bergen County Education Association president Sue McBride told CNN.
“From what I’m hearing, it’s just another round of frustration and another round of difficulty, you know, our educators and education support professionals have working contact with students and their colleagues in their school buildings,” said McBride.
“The idea of having a vaccine that will hopefully give you a little peace of mind. And some hope and some movement in a positive direction is valued. You know, and something that is very much expected to happen. ” The New Jersey Educators Association continues to maintain the need for educators to have access to the vaccine in order to bring schools closer to a sense of normalcy.
“We said from the beginning that educators should have priority access to the vaccine. It is an important step towards a safer return to classroom learning. We have been in constant communication with state authorities about educators’ access to vaccination. reiterated to them the need to do whatever is necessary to streamline this access, even in light of the revised federal guidelines from the Trump administration and a slow federal launch of the real vaccine, “NJEA Director of Communications Steve Baker told CNN.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves this week announced an expansion of the deployment to those with underlying medical conditions, including smokers, but said the next workers, as teachers.
“And be very clear to our emergency responders, to our policemen, to our firefighters and to our teachers, you are on deck. Next time we have an update, I hope it is to announce that the vaccine will be available to you”, Tate said at a news conference on Tuesday.
CNN did not get an immediate response to comments from the Mississippi Department of Health.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy defended the decision, saying it would not be a subject for conversation if the federal government provided the states with more doses of vaccine.
“I understand, I understand the optics here, and that attacking people who have acquired the habit of smoking and are now addicted can be politically convenient,” Murphy told a news conference on Friday. “But right now, we are stuck in a position where we have to prioritize a limited dose of federally distributed vaccine based on medical facts and not on political wishes. We need to save lives. And we need to protect our hospitals, by the way, from a wave patient. “
Murphy added that “teachers are on the deck circle” and any teachers under the age of 65 with chronic health conditions are currently eligible for the vaccine.
Teachers are also included in the next eligible sub-phase, New Jersey Department of Health spokeswoman Donna Leusner told CNN, but smoking is considered by health officials to be a risk for state residents.
“Yes, the question has been raised. Nicotine is one of the most powerful addictions. Smoking puts individuals at greater risk for more serious illnesses. If an individual who smokes gets COVID, he gets sick much faster. Our goal is to save as many as possible live as long as possible and to promote vaccination among the most at-risk groups. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, as well as in NJ (except for Covid 19). We encourage everyone who smokes to quit, “said Leusner in a statement to CNN.
Smoking and Covid-19 from a public health perspective
2 million smokers in New Jersey are estimated to be the highest qualified population for the vaccine on the list of underlying medical conditions, New Jersey health commissioner Judy Persichilli told a news conference on Wednesday.
Prioritizing smokers is a public health issue, not a judgment of personal choices, said Dr. Albert Rizzo, medical director of the American Lung Association.
“It is a population that we know is at risk, be it a good choice or a bad choice to be a smoker. They are smokers, are at risk of falling ill and need medical services, so if we can stay they are healthy and help society in general, “Rizzo told CNN.
Rizzo, a pulmonologist at the Christiana Care Health System in Delaware, says it is difficult to rule out all smokers in favor of smokers with diagnosed respiratory diseases.
“We can argue on both sides, but we know that smoking by itself, whether you have chronic bronchitis, but without COPD, or just having a cough, but without shortness of breath, still puts you at risk,” said Rizzo. “And I think most people, from a scientific point of view, say that if you inhale vapors of tobacco, nicotine and tar, all of these things ignite your airways and put you at risk, regardless of whether or not you hit it point of developing COPD. “