Polk County health director concerned over CDC vaccine program changes
Changes to the CDC vaccine program by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have raised concerns about the future availability of affordable COVID-19 vaccines, with a revamped CDC advisory committee set to meet next week to decide on recommendations.
Juliann Van Liew, director of the Polk County Health Department, said, "If you're confused about this topic, you are not alone. Not only are we, as a health department, waiting for answers, but we know all of us collectively are kind of holding our breath to see what's going to happen here."
Van Liew, a supporter of the COVID-19 vaccine and other life-saving vaccines, fears the newly revamped CDC might limit the availability of the COVID vaccine.
"It is startling to find ourselves in this situation. I would have never dreamed a few years ago that I would be standing here talking about, you know, rescinding access to COVID vaccines, especially when they have saved hundreds of thousands, if not millions or more lives in the United States since the pandemic onset," she said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed skepticism about vaccines, a sentiment echoed by FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary.
"Some say we should just close our eyes and blindfold, blindly stamp, rubber-stamp COVID vaccines in perpetuity every year without any updated clinical trial. Data, we said we want a clinical trial," Makary said.
Dr. Nate Boonstra, a Des Moines pediatrician and chair of Iowa Immunizes, is also concerned.
"I'm extremely concerned about this," he said.
Boonstra emphasized that the CDC should follow science, not politics, and noted that COVID vaccines are safe.
"We know that if vaccination levels drop below a certain point, that our country, that everybody is going to be at risk of increased outbreaks of these diseases. We've already seen record cases of measles this year," he said.
Both Boonstra and the Polk County Health Department urge people to seek the best information on the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines from their doctors.
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