On September 18 and 19, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met to review recommendations for several vaccines. Days before the meeting, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. added five new members to the committee, which he had fully replaced in June. The meeting was marked by confusion and disagreements before members voted to end universal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. Updated vaccines remain available and covered by insurance for everyone 6 months and older, but only as part of a “shared clinical decision” between health care providers and patients. The committee also delayed a vote on hepatitis B vaccination at birth and voted to stop recommending the combination measles, mumps, rubella, and chicken pox (varicella) vaccine for children under age 4. While some vaccine opponents celebrated the change in COVID-19 guidance, others argued that it did not go far enough. Spanish-language accounts spread the false claim that the CDC had issued a warning against COVID-19 vaccines. Public health experts and vaccine advocates criticized the meeting as “chaotic” and “confused,” urging caution in relying on the new committee’s recommendations. Other users questioned the need for hepatitis B vaccination and cited the MMRV vaccine decision as supposed evidence that combination vaccines are unsafe.
Recommendation
Conversations about COVID-19 vaccine access and cost provide health communicators with an opportunity to clarify the current state of vaccine availability. Messaging may emphasize that the recent ACIP vote ensures that COVID-19 vaccines remain available for everyone 6 months and older through a shared decision between patients and health care providers. Communicators may explain that patients should talk to a health care provider, such as a doctor or pharmacist, about getting their updated COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, talking points may highlight that major physician organizations continue to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for all individuals 6 months and older, and that many large insurers will continue to cover COVID-19 vaccines. Continuing to emphasize that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and the best way to prevent severe illness, long COVID, and death is recommended.
Fact-checking sources: Your Local Epidemiologist, PBS News
Communication resources: Check out tips for communicating about measles vaccination (MMR and MMRV), social media assets on COVID-19, and a resource that explains the dangers of hepatitis B
