Financial services employees should be included in Phase 1c of COVID-19 vaccination, a Center for Disease Control and Prevention panel voted Sunday. The presentation from the ACIP COVID-19 Vaccines Work Group covers phased allocations of vaccines.

According to the presentation, finance professionals fall under the non-frontline essential workers category, along with IT/Communications professionals and food service industries, among others.

“Among the first thing people ask in times of crisis is, ‘how can I access my money?’ and the CDC’s presentation shows that access to financial services is vitally important,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle. “Credit unions have served as financial first responders since day one of this pandemic and will continue to work hard for their members as the country looks toward recovery.”

Frontline essential workers are designated as “workers who are in sectors essential to the functioning of society and are at substantially higher risk” of exposure to COVID. Frontline essential workers include first responders and education workers and are designated Phase 1b in the presentation.