Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed an executive order intended to ensure Illinoisans have access to necessary vaccines this fall, regardless of changes in federal policy. [Health News Illinois]

The order tasks the Department of Public Health to develop contingency plans to maintain access to vaccines for eligible children “if federal disruptions threaten inventory.”

State-regulated insurers will be required to cover vaccines based on IDPH recommendations. That includes seasonal and routine child and adult vaccines.

Agency Director Dr. Sameer Vohra will issue a standing order to allow eligible providers in pharmacies and other clinical settings to administer vaccines recommended by the agency.

“With confusing and conflicting guidelines from the federal government, the (order) ensures Illinois residents have the credible, transparent, and science-based guidance they need to make vaccine decisions for themselves and their family,” he said. “We will work with every partner — from pharmacies to schools to rural clinics — to ensure access to critical vaccines to keep our Illinois residents and their families protected.”

IDPH said it has also strengthened its Immunization Advisory Committee to issue fall respiratory vaccination recommendations, adding experts in infectious diseases, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, public health practice and epidemiology.

The group is slated to meet on Sept. 22, and the IDPH said it will use those recommendations to provide public guidance to help the state’s providers and reidents make decisions regarding vaccinations during the fall respiratory season.

Pritzker said in a statement that the order is necessary due to recent upheaval with federal health agencies.

That includes the dismissal of top leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration changing approval for some uses of the COVID-19 vaccines and the firing of all members of the independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices board.

Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. has appointed new members to the board, many of whom have expressed skepticism about vaccine safety and efficiency.

“When the federal government abandons its responsibility, Illinois will step up,” Pritzker said. “We will follow the science, listen to medical experts and do everything in our power to enable families to receive the care they need.”

A Washington Post report said the Trump administration plans to link COVID-19 vaccines to the deaths of 25 children, a move that has alarmed career scientists who say coronavirus vaccines have been extensively studied, including in children, and that dangers of the virus itself are being underplayed.

The federal immunization board is set to meet next week to consider new coronavirus vaccine recommendations, which affect access to the shots and whether they’re free.

Several Illinois healthcare groups praised the executive order, saying it will protect residents.

“We have seen firsthand how serious, and sometimes tragic, the effects of vaccine-preventable illnesses can be on children and their families,” said Dr. Michelle Barnes, president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “We are grateful to Gov. Pritzker and IDPH for protecting access to vaccines and allowing pediatricians across the state to continue to follow science-based recommendations to keep Illinois children healthy.”

Garth Reynolds, executive director of the Illinois Pharmacists Association, said the order will allow pharmacists to continue to meet their patients’ immunization needs. 

“Patient access to timely, trusted, and convenient vaccination services is paramount to protecting public health,” he said.

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