Local doctor pushes back on federal statement about COVID-19 vaccine guidelines

Yahoo

2 days ago

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A recent announcement by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding the COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women, is drawing reaction from local public health experts.
On Tuesday, Kennedy said the department would no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for those groups.
Experts here say there is a rigorous process to examine who should get a vaccine and when which is undertaken by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That process, they say, is still in the works and no official, science-driven recommendation has been released, said Dr. Gregg Stoner, medical director of the Peoria City/County Health Department,
'There is a committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. It's a 19-member panel made up of scientists, public health officials, and doctors,' Stoner said. 'They make a recommendation based on the science that exists at the time about what immunizations are recommended. That then goes to the director of the CDC, who would sign off on it.
'Then it's forwarded to health departments—so the Illinois Department of Public Health—and that would come down to us. We would then change our standing orders to follow those guidelines,' he said.
As of now, the CDC has not issued any new guidance removing COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for healthy children or pregnant women.
Dr. Robert Healy, the associate chief medical officer for Carle Health, said there is 'uccessful evidence of taking all mitigation efforts available to reduce the spread of infection in our communities.'
'We continue to monitor the CDC and state recommendations for vaccine scheduling, supporting the individual needs of our patients,' he said. 'Talk with your care provider about your medical history and risk level when considering any immunization.'
Stoner emphasized the ongoing impact of COVID-19, particularly among at-risk populations.
'Well, it's become a regular part of our society now,' said Stoner. 'COVID is still killing hundreds of people and hospitalizing thousands every week in the United States. It is here, and it's here to stay.'
He noted a concerning drop in vaccination rates as public concern has waned.
'People have become a little less concerned about it, and so vaccination rates have somewhat declined—and they really shouldn't,' he added.
Stoner also addressed Kennedy's comments specifically, warning of their implications for maternal and child health.
'So the recommendations were that pregnant women did not need to receive a vaccine and that healthy children did not need to receive the vaccine,' he said. 'The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology issued a statement three days ago expressing their extreme displeasure with this recommendation.
'They said all pregnant women should be vaccinated for COVID, and that if they develop COVID during pregnancy, it is catastrophic for them and their families,' Stoner said. 'Maternal antibodies are passed to the child, and so a child born to an unvaccinated mother has no protection for the first six months of their life.'
Stoner recommends high-risk individuals continue to get a COVID-19 vaccine twice a year and encourages anyone with concerns about immunization guidelines to consult their healthcare provider.
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