Illinois Department of Public Health officials said Thursday they are exploring multistate collaborations to coordinate public health guidelines separate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [Health News Illinois]

Matt Smith, IDPH's chief policy officer, said during Thursday's State Board of Health meeting that they have held conversations with other states in the Midwest and on both coasts to learn about their current guideline frameworks and how they plan to work with other states.

“(Then we’ll look) more regionally to see if there are  opportunities for collaboration going forward as well,” he said.

The governors of California, Washington and Oregon announced [1] this week they will form a West Coast Health Alliance to coordinate public health guidelines separate from federal policy.

The move comes a week after the White House ousted the CDC Director, Dr. Susan Monarez, after clashing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. on vaccine policy. Four top agency leaders promptly announced their resignations in solidarity.

IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said last week [2] that the agency will look to establish its own guidelines for who should receive COVID-19 vaccines and other immunizations for the coming fall respiratory season.

He said the agency will consider guidance from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — though he noted that its members were fired and replaced earlier this year by Kennedy allies who have raised concerns about vaccine safety.

The Food and Drug Administration has narrowly [3] approved the COVID-19 vaccines for people over 65 and those with a high-risk medical condition who consult with doctors.

Dr. Jennifer Seo, the agency's pediatric medicine medical advisor, said they have been looking at several avenues to ensure Illinois families have access to vaccines.

She noted the “vast majority” of school-required immunizations are not tied to the federal advisory committee recommendations, but further conversations may be needed to “ensure that evidence-based immunizations remain accessible to Illinoisans.”  

Seo said conversations are also ongoing with the state’s health insurers on vaccine coverage and how they'll handle federal recommendations in addition to those of professional associations and
other medical groups.

Other conversations are happening with pharmacy groups to address any barriers to their providing vaccines to those who request them.

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