CDC Delays Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines for Children, Affecting Access

<p>As the respiratory virus season approaches and fall vaccination efforts begin, more than half of US children are facing uncertainty regarding access to this year's COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has delayed the distribution of the vaccines to a key federal program and certain states.</p><p>Typically, the CDC permits states to order the newly available seasonal COVID-19 vaccines through the federal Vaccine for Children (VFC) program, which provides vaccines at no cost to children who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid-eligible, or Indigenous people in the US. Approximately 52 percent of all US children are eligible for vaccines through this program.</p><p>According to a report from The Guardian, at least 11 states and one US territory participate in a universal vaccine purchase program, where they acquire all vaccines for children—regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status—through contracts typically associated with the VFC. The 11 states and one territory involved are Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming, and American Samoa.</p>