by Shaanth Nanguneri, Washington State Standard
Four West Coast states on Wednesday recommended that all adults and children concerned about the respiratory illness season can receive the COVID-19 vaccine and other common inoculations.
The updated guidance, which aligns with mainstream medical groups, is a rebuke of the June overhaul of the Centers for Disease Controls’ vaccine advisory committee by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
As recently as Monday, Kennedy appointed five new members to the panel, some of whom have a history of questioning the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. The West Coast states’ newly announced standards rely upon guidance from national organizations such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a joint statement that they were putting safety before politics.
“Our states are united in putting science, safety, and transparency first — and in protecting families with clear, credible vaccine guidance,” the governors said.
When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, the states recommend that any adult ages 18-64 who wants protection from COVID is eligible for the vaccine, specifically identifying those “who are in close contact with others with risk factors.”
All children from ages 6 months through to 2 years of age are recommended to receive the shot, as well as those from ages 2 to 18 who choose to receive the shot or haven’t received the vaccine before. The guidelines also include information about Influenza and RSV vaccinations.
“The WCHA reviewed COVID-19 epidemiology, vaccine effectiveness, safety data, and national medical organization recommendations to arrive at the consensus recommendations,” the new guidelines read. “Individuals with risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection, including age, underlying medical conditions, unvaccinated status, and congregate living facility residence were recommended to receive an updated 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine. No new safety concerns were reported since the last thorough review.”
Oregon had emerged as a hotspot for questions around vaccine access over the past two weeks since the alliance was initially announced, with critics questioning why the state failed to issue standing orders ensuring COVID-19 vaccine access or deferring to mainstream medical groups sooner. Without guidance from the CDC, tighter restrictions announced by the Food & Drug Administration in late August limited the vaccine to people aged 65 or older or those with an underlying health condition that would risk severe illness. Pharmacists across Oregon have turned away patients without a prescription.
The new guidelines do not yet come with a standing order or further action from Kotek, whose spokesperson told the Oregon Capital Chronicle last week that she was “frustrated” with the federal rollout of the annual COVID-19 vaccine and doing her best to find a solution.
Other Democratic states, including Washington, have taken steps such as aligning their pharmacy boards with recommendations from mainstream medical groups, ensuring liability protections for doctors who prescribe the vaccine, and requiring insurers to cover the cost of the shot.
The new guidelines say that Oregon’s immunization program has adopted the suggestions made by the health alliance. In a statement, Oregon Health Authority Director Sejal Hathi emphasized the importance of vaccines in saving lives and preventing illness.
“At a time when Washington (D.C.) is undermining our most basic public health safeguards, Oregon is charting a different course,” she said. “Our actions today affirm that here, public health is about protecting people, not playing politics—and that every family who wants protection during this respiratory virus season should be able to get it simply, safely, and affordably.”
Republlished with permission. Read the original article.
Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: