Indiana drafts plan to give COVID-19 vaccine first to people in health care settings, at risk

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana has drafted a three-phase plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccine to Hoosiers.

Several companies are continuing to work on a vaccine, which would require approval by federal authorities, but states have been asked to come up with plans for its distribution.

The plan would create five advisory groups and a Vaccination Program Implementation Committee carry out a “strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and related illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths through appropriate allocation and administration of COVID-19 vaccine to all Hoosiers in a safe, timely and effective manner,” the draft says.

The first phase would provide the vaccine to people in health care settings who have the potential to be exposed to patients, and to people who are at risk of suffering from a disease or medical condition or from death from contracting the coronavirus.

The second phase would give the vaccine to people with an elevated risk of transmission of COVID-19 because they live or work with others. “This includes persons living in correctional facilities, group homes or shelters, and individuals who’s in-person work is essential, required, and places them in settings where social distancing is not possible and transmission risk is high,” the draft says.

Finally, the third phase would distribute the vaccine to the general public.

The Indiana State Department of Health released the plan Tuesday afternoon.