But the American Academy of Pediatrics, which represents pediatricians, immediately struck down the decision, calling it “incredibly wrong.”
Health and Human Services said it had amended the Public Relations and Emergencies Act (PREP) to immunize all state-licensed pharmacists children over the age of 3 “in order to access childhood vaccines and reduce the risk of Vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks appear when children in the United States return to daycare, kindergarten and school. “
Earlier, a little over half of the states allowed pharmacists to give vaccines to children. States generally regulate medical practice, and all 50 states require children to be vaccinated to go to public school.
“Today’s action means easier access to rescue rescues for our children, as we seek to ensure that immunization rates remain high during the COVID-19 pandemic,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement.
He said the move “would provide the public with more options to protect their health and well-being.”
Orders for vaccinations for children fell sharply at the height of the pandemic in early spring, reported the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s when doctors’ offices closed or reduced their hours, raising concerns that many children would miss their faxes. But a later CDC report revealed that the situation had corrected itself.
The American Pharmacists Association called it “a big win” on Twitter.
“We have long advocated that pharmacists be uniquely positioned to address this public health emergency, and we are working with HHS to develop this strategy to engage all pharmacists,” said Scott Knoer, CEO of APhA.
The group notes that pharmacists must complete a 20-hour training course before they can apply for vaccines to children.
Pediatricians disagree
The American Academy of Pediatrics immediately expressed its disagreement over the plan.
“Today’s action replaces state laws governing the reach of pharmacists’ ability to manage faxes, with the COVID-19 pandemic justifying a policy change that goes beyond COVID-19 care,” “the group said in a statement.
“This move is incredibly wrong,” Goza said.
“The unusual expansion of the ability of pharmacies to administer vaccines to children is not a solution to the hesitation of vaccines that drives rates of child immunizations in the US,” Goza said.
CNN’s Sandee LaMotte contributed to this report.
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