Overview

• The Northeast Public Health Collaborative formally launched with Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and New York City, and Maryland and Delaware said they have joined, issuing COVID-19 guidance that urges vaccination for infants 6–23 months and adults 19 and older, with optional shots for healthy children 2–18.
• California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, under the West Coast Health Alliance, released joint recommendations for COVID, flu and RSV, including COVID shots for pregnant and postpartum people, children 6–23 months, adults 65+, younger at-risk individuals and anyone who chooses protection, citing alignment with AAP, ACOG and AAFP.
• California enacted AB144 to allow the state to set immunization schedules and insurer coverage rules based on independent medical organizations rather than relying on the CDC’s ACIP.
• HHS defended ACIP as the nation’s scientific arbiter and criticized the state actions, while major insurers said they will keep covering vaccines on ACIP’s roster as of Sept. 1 through 2026, leaving uncertainty about payment for recommendations that diverge from federal guidance and for Vaccines for Children participants.
• As ACIP meets this week, the panel voted to stop recommending the combined MMRV shot before age 4 in favor of separate doses and is set to consider COVID-19 guidance, against the backdrop of an FDA policy limiting updated COVID vaccines to people 65+ and certain high-risk groups.