The Illinois Department of Public Health issued an order Tuesday that will allow almost anyone in the state to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
The state’s new protocols are in sharp contrast to the guidance issued last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which declined to recommend the vaccine for anyone and left the choice up to individuals.
In issuing the order and other vaccine guidance, state officials referenced the turmoil facing the nation’s leading health agency, which was once the authority many Americans turned to for medical advice. Elected democrats and some medical associations have called for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the CDC.
“At a time when the federal government is abdicating its responsibility to provide clear, science-informed guidance, Illinois is stepping up,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “Illinois will continue to empower providers and families across our state with the information and access they need to guard against illness and disease.”
The COVID-19 vaccine will be available at doctors’ offices to any adult who wants it, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health directive. In addition, licensed health care professionals working at pharmacies and other medical settings will be able to administer the vaccine. The state is recommending that children aged 6 to 23 months receive the vaccine as well.
Vaccination is also recommended for children aged 2 to 17 years old who are at high risk of severe COVID-19 illness, live in long-term care facilities or other congregated settings, have never been vaccinated against COVID-19 or who live in a household with others at high risk of severe illness.
But even if a child doesn’t fall into any of those categories, parents in Illinois will still have the option to vaccinate their children, according to a news release from the state. Public health officials are also recommending that pregnant individuals and those planning to get pregnant receive the COVID-19 shot.
The updated vaccines arrived at major Chicago pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS earlier this month. But at the time, access to the vaccine was limited by the Food and Drug Administration to those 65 years or older and people with a high-risk medical condition. The FDA didn’t define high-risk medical conditions, so pharmacies had been using language issued by the CDC in the past.
On Tuesday afternoon, a CVS spokesperson said patients were still being asked to confirm their eligibility, though no documentation was required. The pharmacy giant said it will continue following CDC guidance and expects to soon offer the vaccine to anyone over the age of 7, which the CDC allows but does not explicitly recommend.
Walgreens did not immediately comment on the state’s new order.
Pritzker signed an executive order earlier this month to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine and other routine shots for children and adults. The Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee met and discussed the vaccines Monday.
“Today’s guidance not only provides answers during a confusing time but helps strengthen disease prevention and immunization practices across Illinois, which are vital components of pediatric health care,” Dr. Michelle Barnes, of the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement.
A trade association of health insurance companies known as AHIP said insurers will continue to cover COVID-19 and flu vaccines through 2026.
The state’s new guidelines also address other seasonal vaccines like the flu — recommending immunizations for anyone older than 6 months — and the RSV shot for all infants younger than 8 months whose mothers did not receive the vaccine.
For non-seasonal vaccines, the Illinois Department of Public Health is recommending doctors follow the CDC’s past guidance — not the feds’ directives from last week.