The Idaho COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee (CVAC) on Friday, March 19, finalized its recommendations for vaccinating Group 3. The recommendations will be sent to Gov. Little, who will accept, modify or reject them early next week.
Friday’s meeting was CVAC’s last scheduled meeting, though the committee may reconvene if necessary.
“We’ve had a tremendous amount of support from all of you and great representation. We’ve had both our voting members and our ex-officio members all weighing in, providing comments, and being very thoughtful partners along the way,” said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, CVAC’s executive secretary and administrator of the Division of Public Health. “We’ve had a huge range of representation, which I think really served us well because it brought a lot of perspectives to the table.”
CVAC is recommending those living in congregate living settings be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine now as part of Group 3, regardless of age distribution or medical condition. CVAC is also recommending the following settings be included in the definition for congregate living:
- Emergency shelters and transitional housing if not already included (e.g., domestic violence and abuse shelters)
- Dormitory housing for workers
- Correctional and detention facilities (adult)
- Group housing for persons in substance misuse treatment or recovery or with mental illness who do not require hospitalization (e.g., Supportive Housing and Innovative Partnerships [SHIP] and transitional housing)
- Residential treatment or recovery facility
- Dormitory housing for students
CVAC on Friday also voted against prioritizing the following types of workers for COVID-19 vaccine and instead make them eligible based on age and medical condition:
- Restaurant and bar workers
- Airport workers
- Banks and other financial services
- Idaho tax commission employees
- Idaho power workers – subset/outdoors
Friday’s meeting also featured presentations from:
- Family Medicine Residency of Idaho about testing, treating, and vaccinating individuals experiencing homelessness
- Saint Alphonsus equitable vaccine outreach
- St. Lukes’ COVID-19 vaccine progress across southern Idaho
The Idaho COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee was formed by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare at the direction of Gov. Brad Little in October and its members represent stakeholders from across Idaho, including the tribes, priority populations, healthcare systems and providers, and immunization organizations. Learn more about the committee and find meeting materials at https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/idaho-covid-19-vaccine-advisory-committee/.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.
Media contact: Zachary Clark
Public Information Officer
(208) 334-0668
Zachary.Clark@dhw.idaho.gov