The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) has announced that hotel employees should receive an early COVID-19 vaccination due to their close proximity to guests. The latest federal guidance from the CDC includes “Traveler Accommodation” under the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Categories of Essential Workers and moves the group into Phase 1c for vaccinations.

Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) recently released a statement on the CDC’s recent update, praising the CDC’s update of guidelines. Rogers had previously implored the CDC to move hotel workers into Phase 1c.

“Thanks to AHLA’s ongoing efforts, the CDC has updated its guidelines prioritizing hotel workers under Phase 1c of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution,” said Rogers on Feb. 22. “This is a significant achievement that directly impacts the health and safety of hotel workers across the country. It also recognizes that hotel employees continue to be on the front lines of the pandemic. From housing healthcare workers and first responders to now supporting the ongoing vaccine distribution, our industry is playing a vital role in supporting our communities as we battle this public health crisis. While hotels have protocols in place to ensure limited contact between employees and guests, prioritizing employees with access to the vaccine would provide another layer of protection.”

The CDC recommendation does not mandate that individual states prioritize hotel workers, but it put them in a category just below frontline essential workers and in the same group as religious organizations and a certain store retailers.