California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii announced independent vaccine recommendations for the upcoming respiratory virus season on Wednesday, citing the “politicization of science” under President Donald Trump.
The guidelines were issued through the West Coast Health Alliance that California, Oregon, and Washington launched early this month to coordinate when formulating public health guidelines.
The recommendations are expected to inform regional immunization policies regarding COVID-19, influenza, and RSV vaccines, as well as other vaccinations, the governors of the four states stated in a joint announcement.
“The West Coast Health Alliance stands united in protecting public health and always putting safety before politics,” they added.
The announcement comes amid a leadership crisis at the CDC after the ouster of the agency’s director, Susan Monarez, allegedly due to her refusal to preapprove ACIP’s COVID vaccine recommendations and remove some vaccine scientists.
Meanwhile, CDC’s newly reconstituted Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is scheduled to meet on Thursday and Friday to recommend, among other matters, U.S. immunization policies related to recently approved COVID boosters.
In June, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known vaccine skeptic, fired all 17 ACIP members, citing conflicts of interest and other concerns. Tomorrow’s meeting marks the first for the 12 new appointees to the panel.
COVID-19, RSV and flu vaccine makers include Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)/BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX), Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA), and Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX), GSK (GSK), Sanofi (SNY), CSL Limited (OTCQX:CSLLY) (OTCQX:CMXHF).