The CDC’s vaccine advisory group is meeting to discuss who should receive the updated COVID-19 vaccines. This comes after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed new restrictions on the shots, mainly for older adults and those at higher risk.
Some people are already having trouble figuring out if they qualify for the vaccines, even as infections have risen recently. The advisory group, which includes members who have been critical of COVID-19 vaccination, will make recommendations that affect insurance coverage and how pharmacists can administer the shots.
The group is also considering whether to change the recommendation that all newborns be vaccinated against hepatitis B at birth. Some experts believe the vaccine is safe and has greatly reduced infant infections, so the advisors decided to postpone that decision.
The panel recommended that children under 4 should receive separate shots for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox, instead of the combined MMRV vaccine.
The CDC says that COVID-19 resulted in many deaths and hospitalizations last fall and winter, with seniors and young children being most at risk, especially if unvaccinated.
Some medical groups are urging that the vaccines be available to anyone who wants them, but several states have announced policies to ensure access regardless of the advisory group’s decision. Health insurers say they will continue covering the shots through 2026.
