The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention didn’t vote this week to require kids to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine or challenge federal vaccine necessities, regardless of Tennessee Gov. Invoice Lee’s Thursday tweet suggesting in any other case.
“I’ve all the time stated mandates are the improper method, & TN has led in pushing again on federal covid vaccine necessities,” Lee wrote on Twitter. “Because of our work with the Basic Meeting, TN households gained’t be impacted by right now’s CDC vote. We’ll proceed to face for TN kids & for private freedom.”
A CDC advisory panel this week unanimously voted to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the recommended vaccination schedule for kids 6 months and older, in addition to for adults. The panel meets yearly to think about updates to the schedule, which has for years suggested docs on when to manage a lot of extensively used vaccines, equivalent to for measles and tetanus.
The recommended schedule is not a mandate nor does it enact any necessities on states. Vaccine necessities, most frequently seen in class immunization necessities, are set by states.
“States decide their very own immunization schedule, and Tennessee’s is not going to be altering,” Lee spokesperson Jade Byers stated.
Lee final yr signed into regulation a legislative package deal rolling again most of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions. It bans authorities entities, public faculties and plenty of non-public companies from enacting vaccine necessities, which might block Tennessee public well being officers from including the vaccine to its checklist of state-required immunizations for varsity enrollment.
Extra:Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signs sweeping COVID-19 legislation into law
Tennessee, like the remainder of the nation, has for years required sure immunizations for varsity enrollment as a protected and efficient public well being device. Tennesseans enrolling in kindergarten at the moment should have six vaccinations, together with immunization towards polio, Hepatitis A and B, and the measles. Medical and non secular exemptions are thought of in some circumstances.
The Tennessee Division of Well being states it considers the CDC’s vaccination schedule and endorsements from the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Household Physicians when setting vaccine necessities. Each the AAP and the AAFP suggest the COVID-19 vaccine for kids.
When requested if Lee would oppose all childhood vaccines required for Tennessee college enrollment, given his tweet a few mandate, a spokesperson stated his remark was particular to COVID-19. His workplace has not but responded to additional questions concerning Lee’s deferring positions on vaccines beforehand beneficial by the CDC and the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The Governor was clearly speaking about Covid vaccine mandates, and anybody suggesting in any other case is being dishonest,” Byers stated.
A Tennessee Division of Well being spokesperson declined to reply questions.
Attain Melissa Brown at mabrown@tennessean.com.
