ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Public Health said it is waiting on recommendations and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
“Health departments do not have the updated vaccine in stock, and the CDC is urging providers to discontinue use of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine and destroy any unused product to minimize the risk of vaccination errors,” the department said in a news release on Wednesday afternoon.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet on Sept. 18 and 19.
That committee has come under fire recently after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named eight new vaccine policy advisers to replace the panel that he abruptly dismissed in June.
Kennedy’s decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy’s desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations.
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DPH’s announcement comes after a turbulent week where the director of the CDC was ousted by Kennedy, leading to the resignation of at least four other high-level CDC administrators.
Just days ago, the FDA also updated its recommendations for this year’s COVID shots.
The three updated vaccines are approved for use for all seniors, 65 or older, but they can only be used for adults and children if they have at least one high-risk condition, such as asthma or obesity, The Associated Press reported.
As for children under the age of 5, the Pfizer vaccine is not approved, as the FDA revoked its emergency authorization for the age group.
The Moderna vaccine is the remaining vaccine with full approval for children as young as 6 months, but it is only approved for children with at least one serious health issue, according to the AP.
Because of that move, CVS will now have limited availability to patients in Georgia and 16 other states.
CVS said the vaccines are only legally permitted at CVS pharmacies or MinuteClinics in certain states, though in Georgia, patients can go to MinuteClinc locations and be vaccinated as soon as supplies are available.
The head of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions has called for the delay of the meeting of vaccine advisers this month after the chaos that erupted at the CDC.
Because of DPH’s announcement, it remains unclear when departments of health across Georgia will receive the updated guidance on the new COVID-19 vaccine, possibly delaying when they can administer them.
DPH said it will “continue to monitor updates and federal guidance for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, and will assess how changes may impact the health and safety of Georgia residents.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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