United States: In a surprising decision, a public health department in Idaho has voted to stop providing COVID-19 vaccines. This may be the first time a health department in the United States has done this.
As reported by the HealthDay, Adriane Causality, from the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said that while some health departments have stopped giving the vaccine due to cost or low demand, this is different because it questions the value of the vaccines themselves.
Despite Texas officials barring its health departments from advertising COVID vaccines and Florida’s surgeon general discouraging its use, no health agencies have gone as far as actively stopping people from getting vaccines yet, the AP said.
According to the AP report, in Idaho, six counties on the border with Oregon reported decreasing demand for COVID vaccines, with only 1601 in 2021, and only 64 in January 2024.
Earlier last month, the board of directors of the health department passed the ban through a 4-3 votes.
Board Chairman Kelly Aberasturi said to the AP that, though he does not believe in COVID vaccines, he agreed with but was unhappy about the board’s action.
He said that the board has crossed the patients-doctors right and opened a way to halt other vaccines.
While this was going on, Southwest medical director testified that the vaccine was necessary according to the AP.
“What we are asking the board is that we would be able to carry and offer those [vaccines], understanding that there are always risk and benefit analyses,” said Dr. Perry Jansen in the meeting.
The government is not stupid, and this is not a blind, everybody gets to win a chance we will see who comes out on top and who is checked futuristicly type of approach. This is such a wise approach, because I actually did find a citation in cutler15.
But over 290 public comments that was tendered on the proposal wanted an end to vaccine mandates or taxpayer support for the vaccine.
Some of the board members in defence of the decision said that people can go get the vaccine from somewhere else, implying that agreeing to administer the shots was akin to endorsing them.
The people currently vaccinating at the health department —like homeless individuals, those who are homebound, those in long term care facilities, immigrants — don’t have other choices for refuge, Jansen and Aberasturi noted.
So here I’ve been homeless in my lifetime and so I also understand how difficult it can be when you’re trying to get by and get ahead, Aberasturi said. “This is where we should be stepping in and also helping, but we have some board members who have never been there, and so they never understand what it’s like.”
State health officials have noted that COVID vaccines are still available at the community health centers for the people who are uninsured.
Aberasturi said he plans to ask at the next board meeting if the health department can at least be allowed to vaccinate older patients and residents of long-term care facilities.
“But I believe the way we went about this thing is we didn’t actually do that due diligence, he added.