Grocery, meatpacking workers receive Kansas vaccine priority

Kansas laborers in the grocery and meatpacking plant areas of the food industry are second up to receive the COVID-19, according to a Friday announcement from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.

The decision arrives shortly after the announcement that healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents will have vaccine priority and be the first to receive a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

While a COVID-19 vaccine has yet to be approved for distribution, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will consider this month whether to grant emergency use authorization for vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Even after emergency use approval, the vaccination distribution process is expected to take months to not only ration among priority groups, but also to become available to the rest of the populace.

Kansas COVID-19 vaccination plans detail that priority vaccination will go to those considered to be front-line workers with an elevated risk of exposure.

Similar to Missouri plans, the first phase of dosing in Kansas will go to front-line healthcare works and nursing home workers and residents. The second phase will continue a focus on essential workers, the most recently defined group within the second phase being grocery store and meatpacking plant workers.

Kelly said some aspects of the plan remain flexible and fluid for now, but that phase three will include vaccination of residents 65 and older, as well as anyone with a high medical risk, regardless of age.