KENT COUNTY, Mich — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is set to meet Thursday and Friday to review recommendations on several vaccines, including COVID-19, RSV and Hepatitis B.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved updated COVID vaccines for people 65 and older, as well as those with underlying health conditions. But the guidance has created uncertainty for patients outside of those groups.
“This is a really challenging place right now in healthcare,” said Dr. Andrew Jameson, an infectious disease physician with Trinity Health.
“In the infectious disease world, in the pediatric world, frankly, in every physician world, this is very frustrating, because it is a dramatic departure from where the science has been leading us,” Jameson said.
Jameson said patients who are otherwise healthy and want to get the updated vaccine could face barriers with availability, access and insurance coverage.
“They might run into an issue where they're going to end up having to pay cash for that vaccine,” Jameson said. “If you try to sign up for a covid shot at many commercial pharmacies right now, they actually make you say, what is the medical problem that qualifies you for this? And there are some commercial pharmacies that aren't even doing it without a prescription from your physician.”
The CDC panel, known as ACIP, was overhauled this summer by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Jameson said health care providers are waiting for clear guidance before moving forward.
“We're not yet giving the covid vaccine, even though we have it and it's all ready to go, it's ready to roll, because we want to make sure that we're fully educated about what patients can expect to see,” he said.
As the fall respiratory virus season approaches, the uncertainty leaves patients and providers in limbo.
“One of the things that's happening is Medicaid has to follow some of those federal laws, and so it's really, really kind of in flux, and people do not know what they can or can't do, and the confusion to patients is just not what we're looking for, right? Like, we want to have a consistent message that is evidence based, and that, like physicians can get behind and rely on, and we just don't have that right now. And it's, it's disheartening,” Jameson said.
COVID is currently spreading in West Michigan.
Jameson said the updated vaccine is a good match for the circulating Stratus strain and recommends getting it if possible.
Patients with questions are encouraged to contact their doctor or health insurer.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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