CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — The Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is scheduled to meet Wednesday and Thursday to discuss and vote on whether or not the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as a number of others, be added to the CDC’s immunization schedule in order for it to be covered by the federally-funded Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program and other programs.
The agenda for the meeting outlines that in order for applicable health plans to cover immunizations, the shot must be approved by the CDC Director and appear on CDC immunization schedules.
A Vaccines for Children (VFC) vote on the COVID–19 vaccine is also scheduled, according to that same meeting agenda.
The VFC is a federally-funded program that provides vaccines to children whose parents or guardians may not be able to afford them. Under the Affordable Care Act and the Public Health
Service Act, “immunization recommendations of the ACIP that have been approved by the CDC Director and appear on CDC immunization schedules must be covered by applicable health plans,” the document reads.
Recommendation votes on pneumococcal, adult immunization schedule, child/adolescent immunization schedule and COVID-19 vaccines are scheduled. A Vaccines for Children (VFC) vote on COVID-19 vaccine is scheduled.
Other “matters to be considered” during the meeting include influenza vaccines, pneumococcal vaccine, meningococcal vaccines, respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, rotavirus vaccine, dengue vaccines and the Chikungunya vaccine.
The written public comment period closes on Oct. 20, 2022. Click here to submit a written comment.
The meetings are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and adjourn at 5 p.m., then begin again at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and adjourn at 4 p.m., according to a draft schedule from the CDC’s website. The meeting will be streamed online. Click here to watch.
