In a significant move to address federal vaccine policy changes, seven northeastern U.S. states, including New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, have united to establish the Northeast Public Health Collaborative. This coalition aims to issue independent vaccine recommendations, particularly in response to the Trump administration’s controversial alterations to federal health guidelines. The initiative mirrors the West Coast Health Alliance, a similar coalition of California and three other western states, which recently released its own vaccine recommendations surpassing federal guidelines. The Northeast group also includes Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and New York City, all Democratic-led states. The coalitions’ formation underscores a broader effort to counteract federal restrictions on vaccine accessibility, including for COVID-19, under the leadership of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic. Kennedy’s decision in June to dismiss all members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel and replace them with like-minded advisors has raised concerns among medical experts. The panel, which determines vaccine schedules and coverage, is currently reviewing potential changes to the nation’s childhood immunization schedule, a move that could have dire public health consequences. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Northeast coalition has agreed to recommend updated COVID-19 vaccines for children aged six months to 18 years, older children and adults with specific risk factors, and adults over 64. The coalition also advocates for universal adult vaccination. Hochul emphasized New York’s commitment to ensuring vaccine access for all residents, criticizing federal policies as ‘misguided attacks on science.’ Meanwhile, medical organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics are preparing their own vaccine recommendations for the upcoming respiratory illness season, including COVID-19.
Northeast US states form health alliance in response to federal vaccine limits
