![]() What follows are some excerpts from my conversation with Caplan, edited for clarity and length.ĭr. I wanted to find out whether it’s ever OK to cut the line, what our choices about who we prioritize say about our society and what it means now that a growing number of states have completely opened eligibility – essentially eliminating the line, but not necessarily eliminating the wait. To sort through some of these issues, I spoke with bioethicist Arthur Caplan, director of the Division of Medical Ethics at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, who has been researching vaccine ethics and public policy for years. ![]() For example, if your state isn’t vaccinating your age group yet, can you go to a neighboring state? What if you have a second home there? What about if you bring your grandmother food once a week – does that qualify you as a “caretaker”? And exactly how severe does your asthma have to be? Aside from those egregious examples of line jumpers, like the Canadian couple who flew to that country’s westernmost community and allegedly posed as motel workers at a mobile vaccination clinic, there are legitimate gray zones. It also opened up opportunities for people, eager to be vaccinated sooner rather than later, to game the system for their shot at a shot. For many, the rollout of one of the most precious commodities on the planet seemed luck-of-the-draw, unfair or smacked outright of inequality. Stories emerged about people receiving the vaccine in one state who would not have qualified in another state. Some states started creating their own guidelines, resulting in a patchwork of eligibility. But soon after the first vaccines were authorized by the FDA, things started to become a bit confusing. Here's a timeline.Īt the time, it all seemed so logical. Brown/AFP/Getty ImagesĪs some states open Covid-19 vaccines to all, many others are still weeks away. Alaska became the first state in the country last week to open vaccination access to everyone over the age of 16 and has fully vaccinated 16 percent of the state's population, the highest rate in the country. All rights reserved.Registered Nurse Morgan James loads a syringe with a dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at the Blood Bank of Alaska in Anchorage on March 19, 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. ![]() Research studies are needed of how mental health consequences can be mitigated during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Active outreach is necessary, especially for people with a history of psychiatric disorders, COVID-19 survivors and older adults. There should be traditional and social media campaigns to promote mental health and reduce distress. To reduce suicides during the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative to decrease stress, anxiety, fears and loneliness in the general population. Mental health consequences of the COVID-19 crisis including suicidal behavior are likely to be present for a long time and peak later than the actual pandemic. The COVID-19 crisis may increase suicide rates during and after the pandemic. COVID-19 survivors may also be at elevated suicide risk. Stress-related psychiatric conditions including mood and substance use disorders are associated with suicidal behavior. Social isolation, anxiety, fear of contagion, uncertainty, chronic stress and economic difficulties may lead to the development or exacerbation of depressive, anxiety, substance use and other psychiatric disorders in vulnerable populations including individuals with pre-existing psychiatric disorders and people who reside in high COVID-19 prevalence areas. ![]() Studies indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with distress, anxiety, fear of contagion, depression and insomnia in the general population and among healthcare professionals. The psychological sequelae of the pandemic will probably persist for months and years to come. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profound psychological and social effects. ![]()
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