Reprinted from Hoard's Dairyman
Chronicle Express
A coalition of organizations representing various agriculture sectors from New York have signed a letter urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to include agriculture and food processing employees back into Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination schedule as soon as possible. New York state developed a schedule to administer the vaccine based on type of industry and employee, age, health status and other criteria. The state had followed the guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that was provided and defined essential workers based upon occupation.
Frontline healthcare workers were the first to be eligible to receive the vaccine when it was available under Phase 1A. Under Phase 1B includes: first responders, transit workers, educational and childcare employees, individuals living and working in homeless shelters, front facing grocery store employees, and anyone over 75. Originally included in Phase 1B were agriculture workers and food processing and manufacturing employees; however, due to less than expected quantities of the vaccine that were made available to New York state, those workers were removed from the eligibility list at the last minute prior to the opening of Phase 1B on Monday, Jan. 11.