The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), in agreement with Delaware officials and public health authorities, has included food and agriculture workers in Phase 1B for COVID-19 vaccine priority, with an overflow into Phase 1C. Delaware's proposed Phase 1B will focus on high-risk essential critical infrastructure workers and those with a high-risk burden of COVID-19 disease. DPH is encouraging residents who are 65 or older to reach out to their primary care provider to see if they are a COVID Vaccination partner. If they are not, there will be other avenues for individuals in this category to get vaccinated.

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) expects that Phase 1B will begin towards the end of January/beginning of February using a phased approach. While DPH is encouraging everyone to get vaccinated, both DPH and the federal government are not mandating that people get vaccinated for COVID-19. Receiving the vaccine requires a minimum 15-minute observation period after vaccination. Depending on the vaccine administered (Pfizer or Moderna), each person vaccinated will need to return to the site in 21 or 28 days to receive their second immunization. Currently, the vaccine is not being administered to people under the age of 18. If you do not get the vaccine during this timeframe, you will likely not get it until a later phase, most likely during the summer.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture is attempting to get a sense of how many Delaware horsemen are interested in getting the COVID vaccine. Please complete this short survey and submit it online.

Thank you for your time,

Stacey Hofmann, Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture