Indiana is not opening up any new age groups of vaccine eligibility yet, state officials announced today. Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine is being offered to Hoosiers ages 65 and older and people who work in health care and law enforcement.

When the vaccine supply increases, though, these are the priority groups to come next, in order:

• ages 60 to 64 (approximately 431,000 people);
• ages 50 to 59;
• people younger than 50 who have certain comorbidities (conditions that make them more susceptible to serious COVID-19 complications): sickle cell disease, Down’s Syndrome, those who have received a solid organ transplant, those on dialysis, those who are in active cancer treatment or have had treatment in the last three months, and those who have active lung cancer or a hemolytic cancer.

The priority groups were set based on advice from the state vaccine advisory committee, said Dr. Lindsay Weaver, chief medical officer for the state.

No timetable was given for when these next groups will be able to receive the vaccine.

“We are working to expand to those most at risk as quickly as our vaccine supplies allow us to do,” Weaver said.

Indiana is getting about 100,000 vaccine doses weekly to distribute to counties, reported Dr. Kristina Box, state health commissioner.

Gov. Eric Holcomb said that once the above priority groups are vaccinated, 98 percent of people most at risk of death will be covered, and decisions will then be made about how to move forward with vaccinating people not on that list.

Weaver said that a single-dose vaccine by Johnson & Johnson has filed for an emergency use decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with a hearing scheduled at the end of the month.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine — unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines currently available — does not need to be frozen, only refrigerated, and does not require people to come back for a second dose about 28 days after the first.

COVID-19 activity is decreasing across the state, with only one county under “red” status as of today. A month ago, 73 were in red, Box said.

Brown County’s color code changed to yellow on Feb. 3, but our advisory level remained at orange. Today, our advisory level also was dropped to yellow.

At yellow, gatherings of up to 100 people can occur, but other prevention measures, such as face coverings, social distancing, and staying home when sick, are supposed to continue.

Vaccine information: ourshot.in.gov

COVID-19 information: coronavirus.in.gov