With Flu Season Approaching, RFK Jr. Attacks Vaccine Access
With flu season quickly approaching and COVID-19 cases on the rise, the Trump administration has begun limiting vaccine access. This doesn’t just threaten the health of our communities– it could hit your wallet hard.
The move to limit vaccine access is being spearheaded by Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.– a vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theory enthusiast. He’s falsely claimed that WiFi causes cancer, that anti-depressants lead to mass shootings, and that vaccines cause autism. It’s a tough resume for the head of the federal agency responsible for promoting public health.
Thus far, RFK Jr. has fired thousands of federal health workers who supported the work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. Last flu season, he instructed the CDC to suspend its ad campaign promoting vaccination. In the wake of a measles outbreak, he discouraged vaccine use and promoted fringe treatments– like taking cod liver oil– rather than traditional medical interventions. And he even canceled $500 million in funding for vaccine research– likely leaving us unprepared for future disease outbreaks.
But potentially the most consequential move by RFK Jr. this year was his decision to update COVID-19 vaccine guidance– severely limiting the groups of people approved to get the updated shot.
The move complicates most people’s insurance coverage. Vaccines recommended by the CDC are typically covered at no cost by insurers, but those left out may require that folks pay more than $200 out of pocket. And even if insurance does cover the shot, most North Carolinians will now require a prescription to get the COVID booster.
Blue Cross NC has already said that it will not decide on coverage until it receives further word from the CDC. Major pharmacies in North Carolina, like Walgreens and CVS, have begun restricting who can schedule vaccination appointments. At CVS MinuteClinics, the vaccine is available without a prescription but may cost as much as $224.99.
Expensive COVID vaccines could quickly become the national standard, with Politico reporting that tens of millions of people across the country may find themselves having to pay hundreds of dollars for shots that were previously covered.
And the timing couldn’t be worse. North Carolina is just one of the 24 states where COVID infections are growing. Gov. Josh Stein is exploring all available options to ensure that vaccines remain accessible to North Carolinians, but there’s only so much he can do given the CDC’s recent guidance.
Limiting health care access and raising costs– it’s become the painful and prevailing theme of the Trump administration. Children must have access to the care they need to stay healthy, and families should be able to acquire that care without needing to sacrifice putting food on the table or keeping the lights on. We can do better than this. We have to do better than this.
