CDC Panel to Meet on Vaccine Priority  11/28 08:25

   A panel of U.S. advisers will meet Tuesday to vote on how scarce, initial 
supplies of a COVID-19 vaccine will be given out once one has been approved.

   ATLANTA (AP) -- A panel of U.S. advisers will meet Tuesday to vote on how 
scarce, initial supplies of a COVID-19 vaccine will be given out once one has 
been approved.

   Experts have proposed giving the vaccine to health workers first. High 
priority also may be given to workers in essential industries, people with 
certain medical conditions and people age 65 and older.

   Tuesday's meeting is for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a 
group established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The panel 
of experts recommends who to vaccinate and when -- advice that the government 
almost always follows. The agenda for next week's emergency meeting was posted 
Friday.

   Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have asked the Food and Drug 
Administration to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. 
Moderna Inc. is expected to also seek emergency use of its vaccine soon.

   FDA's scientific advisers are holding a public meeting Dec. 10 to review 
Pfizer's request, and send a recommendation to the FDA.

   Manufacturers already have begun stockpiling coronavirus vaccine doses in 
anticipation of eventual approval, but the first shots will be in short supply 
and rationed.