charfield

Triaging (or prioritizing patients based on urgency and chances of survival) has been within the hospital system for generations. In cases where hospitals are overwhelmed and there are not enough free beds, doctors are taught in school to prioritize those who have a higher chance of survival if they cannot save everyone. COVID vaccinations have been proven to reduce hospitalization and chances of serious complications [Moline et al. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7032e3.htm], and COVID-19 deaths have been decreased by nearly 70% in individuals who choose to get the vaccine [Moghadas et al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7709178/]

For the United States, where most people have adequate access to the vaccination and have had the choice whether or not to get it, it is perfectly fair to follow the convention that those with the better likelihood of survival and who have taken every precaution should be the first to be served. Their attitudes towards preventative measures mirror the criteria doctor's look for in transplant recipients as well (see: you are more likely to get a liver transplant if you are not an alcoholic). Overall, this convention is not new, and in a country where vaccines are widely available, it should not come as a surprise that triaging vaccinated patients would naturally come next.