Pa. breaks from fed guidance with public health, vaccine plan
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Pennsylvania is joining more than a half-dozen Northeastern states to form a public health coalition that will set its own vaccine and health guidelines in response to Trump administration policy changes.
The big picture: Several states are moving to bypass federal vaccine restrictions, per the Common Health Coalition, with new laws, executive orders, standing actions and pharmacy board directives.
Between the lines: Pennsylvania leaders cast the Northeast Public Health Collaborative as part of Gov. Josh Shapiro's effort to lock in wider vaccine access amid rapidly shifting federal vaccine recommendations.
- It mirrors a similar alliance among the West Coast states, developed in response to what they called the politicization of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Zoom in: States involved include New Jersey, Delaware, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.
Catch up quick: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in August announced new limits on COVID vaccine eligibility as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared updated shots for the season.
- Major pharmacy chains soon announced they would require prescriptions for the COVID vaccines as they awaited further guidance from state or federal health authorities.
- Pennsylvania's Board of Pharmacy earlier this month authorized pharmacists to follow recommendations from a broader range of medical authorities beyond the federal government, most of which call for more comprehensive COVID vaccine access.
The other side: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told the Pennsylvania Capital-Star the state's move aims to skirt CDC guidance and worsens public distrust in federal health agencies.
The latest: Kennedy's vaccine advisers on Friday declined to recommend the COVID shots for Americans 65 years and older, but said insurance coverage and pharmacy access will continue for those who choose them, per the Associated Press.
- Shapiro's administration on Monday urged residents to seek vaccine guidance from an expanded state-approved list of medical organizations rather than the federal government.
What they're saying: "We respect the role public health professionals play in keeping our commonwealth safe and will continue to back science in our efforts to ensure Pennsylvanians can make the best health care decisions for themselves and their families," said Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Debra Bogen in a statement.