Marin County’s public health officer is encouraging Marin residents considering a COVID-19 vaccination to take action.
“We recommend that anyone 6 months or older who has not received their 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine get it now,” Santora said Wednesday.
As of Tuesday, the CDC hadn’t amended its online recommendation that healthy children 6 months to 17 years old be administered the vaccine.
The public health officer said the public’s choice regarding vaccination may also be limited by the Food and Drug Administration.
Nevertheless, Santora is concerned that Kennedy, a vocal vaccine skeptic, may push for reduced use of vaccinations for other diseases.
The public health officer of Marin County is urging Mariners who are thinking about getting vaccinated against COVID-19 to act.
“Anyone 6 months of age or older who has not received their 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine should do so immediately,” Santora stated on Wednesday. It’s possible that changing regulations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration will restrict access to vaccines by this fall. “”.
Santora’s suggestion follows that of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared on May 27 in a 58-second video clip posted on the social media platform X that the CDC would no longer advise pregnant women or healthy children to get the COVID vaccine.
Such a statement, according to Santora, “causes confusion and erodes trust in vaccine safety and efficacy.”.
Typically, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a CDC committee, advises the director of CDC on who should be vaccinated. The director almost always complies with their advice. As of right now, the CDC has no director.
“Kennedy has avoided that,” the health officer stated.
The CDC’s online advice to vaccinate healthy children aged 6 months to 17 years had not been changed as of Tuesday. But Wednesday morning was when things changed.
According to Santora, “the CDC website was just modified.”. “Whoa, that’s in real time.”. As of right now, routine vaccinations are advised only for people who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised and who are at least 18 years old. “”.
According to the new guidelines, parents may choose to vaccinate their children aged 6 months and up against COVID-19 if their choices are “informed by the clinical judgment of a health care provider.”. “”.
In reference to Kennedy’s announcement that the vaccines would no longer be advised for expectant mothers, Santora stated, “Once more, Kennedy is not adhering to the CDC’s standard process and procedures.”. Pregnancy is listed as a risk factor in the CDC guidelines. Thus, being pregnant would be regarded as a condition that would qualify a person for the COVID vaccine. “.”.
Doctor. Prominent ACIP member Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos resigned from the committee on Tuesday in protest. Santora stated that Panagiotakopoulos provided evidence demonstrating that pregnant women who are not vaccinated and who get COVID-19 are more likely to need hospitalization, and that the health of their unborn children does not improve either. Infants from birth to six months are thought to be at the same risk of hospitalization as adults between the ages of 65 and 74.
According to Santora, “vaccination is strongly advised for pregnant women because it protects the unborn child.”.
The public health officer stated that the Food and Drug Administration may also restrict the public’s options when it comes to vaccinations. The FDA approves revised vaccines that are designed to better combat the most recent COVID-19 strains.
The FDA has only approved the Moderna vaccine, which was created for use this fall, for people 12 years of age and older, according to Santora. Kennedy appeared in the May 27 video clip alongside FDA chief Dr. Martin Makary.
Santora stated that insurance companies’ willingness to cover the cost of the vaccines may be impacted by the modifications made to the FDA authorization and the CDC recommendation.
A request for comment was not immediately answered by Kaiser Permanente. After federal funding for vaccine purchases was cut, Santora said low-income Marin residents now have to get their shots at neighborhood pharmacies.
There is no mandate that schools require children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, Santora worries that Kennedy, a strong opponent of vaccines, might advocate for fewer vaccinations against other illnesses.
According to Santora, “RFK and his colleagues have been very clear about believing that children are receiving more vaccines than they should be receiving.”. Major changes in federal policies that could impact childhood vaccine access, which has dramatically decreased hospitalizations and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases, may be about to begin. “.”.
According to Santora, testing of wastewater in Marin County shows that there is currently little COVID-19 present in the county. Two COVID-19 patients were admitted to Marin County hospitals during the week ending May 24. August 2024 saw the most recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Marin. About 31% of the county’s citizens are currently vaccinated against COVID-19.
Dr. John Swartzberg, a clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases and vaccines at the University of California at Berkeley, remarked, “It’s been a delightful six months.”. Although we cannot be completely certain of what this virus will do, some highly qualified infectious disease epidemiologists predict a summer spike. “.”.
“People forget until they get sick with it,” Santora said. Their risk is underestimated. I anticipate seeing a rise in infections based on past trends. “”.
This report was contributed to by Bay Area News Group.
