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News
After nearly a month of delays, the CDC has opened ordering of updated COVID-19 vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which serves more than half of US kids. Children with private insurance had access to the shots for weeks, leaving low-income and uninsured children at greater risk. Hospitalization rates have been climbing since mid-June, with babies under 1 year old among the hardest hit.
After a nearly month-long delay, the CDC has finally given states the green light to order updated COVID-19 vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. The program provides free immunizations to more than half of US children — including those on Medicaid, the uninsured or underinsured, and Native American and Alaska Native children — who had been left waiting while kids with private insurance got access to the updated shots weeks earlier.
The FDA approved the updated COVID vaccines on August 27, and doses began shipping to medical offices and pharmacies as early as September 27. But the VFC program lagged behind, drawing criticism from public health advocates who warned the delay was putting vulnerable children at disproportionate risk.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Delays in vaccine access for low-income children widen health equity gaps. With COVID hospitalizations trending upward and infants among the most vulnerable, getting free vaccines into VFC-enrolled clinics quickly could be critical for protecting the children who need it most.
