Oregon, Washington reject vaccine changes

THE GORGE — After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed several vaccines from its universal childhood immunization schedule, the agency announced Jan. 5, Oregon and Washington revealed that neither would follow the revised guidance hours later. Both states are part of the broader West Coast Health Alliance.

Under a directive from President Donald Trump, federal health officials began reviewing the schedule early last month and made changes based on vaccine practices in 20 other high-income nations.

The new schedule establishes three distinct categories: immunizations recommended for all children, those for high-risk groups and populations and those based on clinical decision-making, meaning they can only be administered after a conversation with a doctor. Vaccines that now fall under the final group include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, and influenza.

This comes as doctor visits for flu-like illnesses across the county have reached their highest level in nearly three decades. The CDC estimates that there have been at least 15 million infections, 180,000 hospitalizations and 7,400 deaths from the flu season thus far. According to a local risk tracker that sources data from the Mid-Columbia, flu activity is above normal levels and increasing, respiratory syncytial virus is on the rise and COVID-19 activity is normal as of press deadline on Monday.

Back in September, as previously reported by Columbia Gorge News, the CDC restricted eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines to those with serious health conditions or people aged 65 and older, which the West Coast Health Alliance similarly rebuked and formed as a result of.

“The CDC changes to its vaccine recommendations increase the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases amongst children,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s statewide health officer and epidemiologist, during a press conference last Tuesday. “When children get sick, it leads to missed school for the kids, missed work for parents, and most importantly, increased hospitalizations — and tragically, in some cases, even death.”

Oregon and Washington will instead recommend a schedule supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a national organization of children’s medicine specialists, that lists 18 vaccines instead of the CDC’s revised 11. The AAP, as Sidelinger explained, based its guidance on the safety of vaccines, countrywide disease risk, access to care, the cost-effectiveness of national vaccination programs and other factors.

“None of the CDC’s recent changes are based on new safety or effectiveness data,” Sidelinger said. “In fact, the data it’s based on weren’t really shared with us.”

He further criticized the CDC’s reliance on other countries, which have different healthcare systems and must confront different diseases. The new schedule largely mirrors Denmark’s, itself an outlier among developed nations. In an interview with The New York Times, a top Danish health official said the country suggests fewer shots not because of poor vaccine safety or efficacy, but because its universal health care system and higher standard of living limit their cost-effectiveness.

Of note, since the CDC made its announcement in the new year, both private companies and federal insurance programs will continue to cover all previously recommended vaccines, but Sidelinger said that may shift come 2027.

“They’ve already set the rates for this year. And as important as vaccines are at keeping people healthy, keeping people out of the hospital and keeping people from dying, we know that they also save money, and insurance companies are certainly in the business of trying to save money,” he said.

Health departments in Hood River, Wasco and Klickitat counties are following suit with orders from the state level, and all offer certain immunizations. Oregon and Washington have separate processes for deciding on vaccines required for school attendance, but both remain unchanged.

“Our primary focus is the impact on parents and families,” said Martha McInnes, director of the North Central Public Health District. “We encourage anyone with questions or concerns to speak with their health care provider.”

Erinn Quinn, director of Klickitat County’s Health Department, reiterated McInnes’ message: “We recognize that health decisions are personal and that families may have questions about childhood vaccines. We encourage individuals to have conversations with their health care provider to better understand their options, the science and effectiveness of vaccination and what is appropriate for their family.