Governor Josh Shapiro of Abington Township signed an executive order Wednesday to establish a new Pennsylvania-based program aimed at safeguarding vaccine access.
The program provides free vaccines to children who are underinsured or uninsured and requires health insurers to cover vaccines approved by the FDA and endorsed by leading medical groups.
The order directs the Pennsylvania Department of Health to “establish a state-based safety net to protect children’s access to vaccines, requires all state agencies to align policies with trusted medical experts, launches a central online vaccine portal, and creates a Vaccine Education Workgroup to strengthen public communication and combat misinformation,” a press release said. “It also ensures continued coverage of recommended vaccines for all Pennsylvanians through Medicaid and private insurance, and directs the Department of Aging and the Department of Education to support older adults and schools in following evidence-based guidance.”
“As the federal government continues to create chaos and confusion, my Administration is stepping up to preserve access to vaccines, provide Pennsylvanians with clear, evidence-based guidance, and protect the freedom to make decisions over your own health care,” Governor Shapiro said in a statement. “As a dad to four kids, I want the best, most accurate information to inform the decisions we make for our kids and freedom to make decisions that are best for them, in consultation with our doctors. I believe every Pennsylvanian deserves the same and this Executive Order directs Commonwealth agencies to take immediate action to ensure families can still get their kids vaccinated, seniors can stay protected as they age, and science and facts – not politics – guide health care decisions here in Pennsylvania.”
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the order follows recent federal policy which “raised concerns about the availability of this year’s COVID shot and the future of widely accepted childhood immunizations.”
You can watch a video of Shapiro and others discussing the new program here.
Photo: pacast.com