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ACIP Voted on COVID vaccines and Immunization Schedules
What does that really mean?

October 20, 2022 Update: The email A Voice for Choice Advocacy sent out yesterday on the potential votes during the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting was heavily throttled and only reached about half our email list, so the background information is repeated at the end of this for those who did not receive it yesterday.

Please also note: A Voice for Choice Advocacy gives fact-based and not fear-based or dramatized information. When organizations from either side of the movement politicize or sensationalize an issue, it does not allow you to make an informed decision, so be critical of what you read, regardless of the source. Go to the primary source when you can. A Voice for Choice Advocacy shares those sources so that you can do your own reading and research.



What did ACIP vote on October 19 and 20, 2022 with respect to COVID-19 vaccines?

Wednesday October 19, 2022: COVID Vaccine (VFC)

ACIP voted on a resolution to add the COVID-19 vaccine to become part of the Vaccines for Children (VCF) program. There are some more steps to be taken before this becomes a reality, but once those things are in place the VCF program will take over purchasing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to children of low-income parents. (More details on the VCF program in the "Background" section below)

Thursday October 20, 2022: 2023 Immunization Schedules

ACIP voted to move the COVID-19 vaccine, from the "temporary" notes section, to the main section of the ACIP 2023 Recommended Vaccine Schedule for children and adolescents, as well as adults.
To Note: 1) The COVID-19 vaccine had already been recommended by ACIP for children, adolescents, and adults in February, 2021. This was not a "new" recommendation or addition to the ACIP recommended schedule.
2) While AVFCA disagrees that any vaccine that is not fully FDA approved, and only under emergency use authorization (EUA), should be added to the permanent recommendations, the ACIP representative stated in the meeting today that they had consulted with the Department of Justice's Office of the General Counsel and they said that the CDC could add an EUA vaccine to the full schedule.

3) The ACIP rationale behind moving the COVID-19 vaccine to the main part of the schedule is that it is recognized that COVID-19 is here to stay and should be a vaccine that is permanently part of the vaccine conversation in a doctor’s office.
4) The notes section of the recommended vaccine schedule still refers to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act as being the liability shield for the vaccine manufacturers and administrators. However, AVFCA believes the key reason for moving the COVID-19 vaccine to the main section of the recommended vaccine schedule is so that when the PREP Act liability coverage for the COVID-19 vaccine ends on October 1, 2024, there is no question that the liability for the COVID-19 vaccines will transfer over to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) (More details on this in the "Background" section below)

5) This change in placement of the COVID-19 vaccine to the main section of the schedule, does NOT directly impact state school vaccine requirements. Those are determined by each individual state's legislature and/or public health department. This year, many states already tried (though none successfully to date) to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the school entry requirements. There are many vaccines on that are recommended by ACIP which are not required for schools in many states, such as the flu and HPV vaccines. However, the permanency of the COVID-19 vaccine on the schedule, will give legislators and Governors in those states that are already inclined to add it, extra ammunition to try again.



How will the move of the COVID-19 vaccine to the main ACIP recommended vaccine schedule affect you?

- If you are in a state that tried to add the COVID-19 vaccine as a requirement for school or work this year or in a state that actively has tried to remove the religious/personal belief exemptions for school vaccines, you should anticipate legislation or regulations to add the COVID-19 vaccines for school and/or work. Here in California, over a year ago, Governor Newsom said that he would instruct the California Department of Public Health to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the required school vaccinations. The current date for that going into effect is July 2023. If it does, there will be a Personal Belief Exemption allowed to opt-out.

- If you or your child goes to the doctor, they will continue to recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.

- If you are on Medicare or Medi-Cal, you will continue to get mailings encouraging you to get the COVID-19 vaccination.

- Vaccine manufacturers will continue to advertise the vaccine.

Background:

- From the CDC website, “The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides advice and guidance to the Director of the CDC regarding use of vaccines and related agents for control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the civilian population of the United States. Recommendations made by the ACIP are reviewed by the CDC Director and, if adopted, are published as official CDC/HHS recommendations in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).” ACIP holds quarterly two-day meetings, the next of which starts today, October 19, 2022. At these meetings presentations are given by vaccine manufacturers, as well as CDC/ACIP work groups, which consist of vaccine experts. There are usually a few votes that happen each day, on items of importance. The details of the presentations and the wording of what will be voted on is never disclosed prior to the meeting. The general agenda is released a 1-3 days prior to the meeting.

- Nearly two years ago, on February 12, 2021, ACIP voted to “include COVID-19 vaccine recommendations in the child and adolescent immunization schedule.” [link removed] [[link removed]]

- The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was fully FDA approved for 16+ year olds on August 23, 2021 and fully FDA approved for 12+ year olds on July 8, 2022. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has also been given FDA Emergency Use Authorization for 6 months – 11 year olds. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has been given FDA Emergency Use Authorization for 6 months and older. The Novovax COVID-19 vaccine has been given FDA Emergency Use Authorization for 12+ year olds ( [link removed] [[link removed]] ).

- The Bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were just given Emergency Use Authorization for 5-11 year olds last week ( [link removed] [[link removed]] )

- The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program helps provide vaccines to children whose parents or guardians may not be able to afford them. This helps ensure that all children have a better chance of getting their recommended vaccinations on schedule. Vaccines available through the VFC Program are those recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The VFC program and the COVID-19 vaccination program are currently separate programs, and each currently has its own enrollment requirements. ( [link removed] [[link removed]] )

- National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 removed liability from vaccine manufacturers and those administering vaccines for those categories of vaccines that ACIP recommends for routine administration to children or pregnant women, and which are subject to an excise tax by federal law. ( [link removed] [[link removed]] )

- Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act removed liability from vaccine manufacturers and those administering vaccines when under a national public health emergency. ( [link removed] [[link removed]] ), and therefore the COVID-19 vaccine. This liability coverage extends to October 1, 2024 ( [link removed] [[link removed]] ).



What we are sure of:

Similar to in the early 1980s, the vaccine manufacturers have made it clear to the current Administration they will not sell COVID-19 vaccines without liability protection. Therefore ACIP must recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for routine administration to children or pregnant women, and make them subject to an excise tax by federal law, before the national public health emergency is withdrawn. While ACIP has already recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for children and pregnant women, they likely want to make it more official and add it to the full ACIP schedule rather than being a separate after note. Honestly, this is not something any individual, organization, lobby or even an extremely powerful group could stop because the vaccine manufacturers have the largest lobby in Washington, with two lobbyists per legislator, and they have made a deal with the Administration to be shielded from liability and the Administration would never do away with the COVID-19 vaccine at this point. So if ACIP feels it needs to do more to ensure vaccine manufacturer liability protection, they will do what is needed either now or at a future date.



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Together we can make change happen!

C
Christina Hildebrand
President/Founder
A Voice for Choice Advocacy, Inc.
[email protected] [[email protected]]
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www.avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org [www.avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org]
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