Intelligence Squared: Who gets vaccinated first?

A man sits in a chair as he receives a vaccine.
Dr. Bashir Moallin waits as nurse Jane Bagley administers his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 15 at the St. Cloud Hospital.
Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News file

As the first rounds of the Covid-19 vaccines become available, a growing debate has emerged as to who should get it first.

The guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prioritizes essential workers and those in long-term care, but a growing chorus of voices say authorities should instead focus on the elderly.

It’s a profound debate with broad ethical implications that dig into the question of preserving first-responders and society’s first line of defense versus rising morbidity and mortality rates among at-risk populations.

Host and moderator John Donvan examines it all in a wide ranging interview with Dr. Larry Brilliant, physician, epidemiologist and CEO of the Pandefense Advisory, who was also a part of the World Health Organization team that eradicated smallpox.

Use the audio player above to hear the program.

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