CDC delay hits COVID-19 shots for children in key vaccine program
Postponing orders through the federal Vaccines for Children program could slow access for over half of US kids as virus season approaches.
The CDC has postponed allowing orders of the latest COVID‑19 vaccines through its Vaccines for Children (VFC) program and through some state channels, just as fall respiratory virus season approaches. The VFC program supplies no‑cost vaccines to uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid‑eligible, and Indigenous children in the US. About 52 percent of US children qualify for vaccination via VFC, so delays there affect access for a large share of the pediatric population. Separately, at least 11 states and one US territory run universal childhood vaccine purchase programs that procure all kids’ vaccines through contracts tied to VFC, potentially linking their supply planning to the CDC’s ordering timeline.
Why it matters
By holding back orders for the latest COVID-19 shots through the Vaccines for Children program, the CDC is affecting how and when millions of eligible children can get vaccinated ahead of a period when respiratory illnesses typically rise. Because more than half of US children qualify for no-cost shots via this program, and several states and a territory tie their entire childhood vaccine purchasing to it, the timing of this decision shapes when many families and pediatric providers can secure doses.
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