Colorado Faces Vaccine Uncertainty Ahead of Federal Panel Meeting
As fall vaccine season approaches, Colorado is grappling with unprecedented uncertainty surrounding vaccine guidance, availability, and distribution. A key meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) this week adds to the concerns of parents and healthcare providers.
Evolving Vaccine Landscape
The changing landscape is largely driven by the influence of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a known vaccine critic. His restructuring of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including changes to the ACIP, has raised questions about future vaccine recommendations. He reconstituted the ACIP by firing more than a dozen members and replacing them with new ones.
Colorado's Response to Federal Uncertainty
Colorado has taken steps to protect its residents from potential changes in ACIP recommendations. Earlier this year, the state passed a law directing the Colorado Board of Health to consider recommendations from a group of national medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, in addition to the CDC panel.
- The new law allows the state to consider the recommendations from groups like the American Academy of Family Physicians.
- Dr. Ned Calonge, the state’s chief medical officer, issued a standing order to let pharmacists provide COVID-19 vaccines without individual prescriptions.
COVID-19 Vaccine Availability: What You Need to Know
Many Coloradans have questions about vaccine availability. The ACIP meeting could lead to changes in recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, adults in Colorado can access COVID-19 shots at most pharmacies, thanks to the state’s standing order. However, the situation for children is less clear. Many pediatric clinics receive vaccines through the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, but delivery is currently on hold until the ACIP issues updated guidance.
Emily Zadvorny, CEO of the Colorado Pharmacists Society, recommends checking with your local pharmacy or doctor’s office for COVID-19 vaccine availability.
Concerns Regarding Childhood Vaccines
Another key area of concern is potential changes to recommendations for routine childhood vaccines. The hepatitis B vaccine and the MMRV vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella are specifically drawing attention. The ACIP is expected to vote to recommend delaying, until age 4, the hepatitis B vaccine, which is currently given to newborns.
"The birth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine, you can think of it as a safety net. It's a safety net because there's all those gaps in screening that we know exist, and we don't want a single child to fall through those gaps." - Dr. David Higgins, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Colorado's Stance on Potential Changes
Colorado health leaders may rely on other medical groups if the ACIP significantly alters course. Dr. Calonge stated that the state health department will be closely monitoring the panel’s recommendations. The state has also put in place a new law to make vaccination available for those parents who choose it for their children and those adults who choose it for themselves
Another vaccine the ACIP is set to discuss is the MMRV vaccine, which is also recommended for children.
Final Thoughts
The coming week will bring greater clarity, but for now, Colorado remains in a state of uncertainty. Dr. Shen Nagel advises patients to remain patient, stating: "try and to hang in there through this weather, this storm." The state's response and the final ACIP recommendations will determine the path forward for vaccine access and policy in the region.
