Source: Reuters, Sept. 16:
States are facing delays obtaining COVID-19 vaccines through federal immunization programs that provide free shots to millions of children and adults who otherwise may have difficulty paying for vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet begun accepting state orders for the updated shots through those programs, according to a report cited by Reuters Wednesday.
The Vaccines for Children program covers roughly half of U.S. children and provides federally purchased vaccines to eligible families. A separate Section 317 program helps uninsured and underinsured adults, making federal procurement decisions particularly important for patients without commercial coverage.
People with commercial insurance can already obtain updated COVID vaccines through pharmacies and other providers. Government orders have traditionally followed commercial availability relatively quickly, but the CDC says it is still finalizing procurement details for the federal programs.
The Department of Health and Human Services said COVID-19 does not follow the same predictable seasonal pattern as influenza and argued that an arbitrary September deadline should not determine vaccine purchasing. The agency said additional details on federal ordering will be released when the procurement process is complete.
The delay comes during a broader shift in federal vaccine policy. The CDC no longer recommends routine COVID vaccination for every child and instead advises parents to discuss vaccination with their health-care providers, while a federal court has blocked an attempt to implement an even narrower vaccine schedule.
The timing is drawing attention because vaccination rates have already fallen substantially. Fewer than 10% of children ages six months through 17 received a COVID booster last year, according to CDC data cited in the report, while other vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles are also resurging in parts of the country.
