In a press conference Thursday morning, Health Director Kanika Cunningham said “the underlying science behind the safety of these vaccines has not changed.”
St. Louis County Department of Public Health officials said they do not agree with updated federal childhood vaccine guidelines and made their own recommendations, part of a growing trend of jurisdictions breaking with federal immunization guidance.
The health department still recommends flu vaccines for everyone 6 months and older except for those at increased risk of a medical reaction.
Earlier this month, federal officials revised the childhood vaccination schedule, which outlines the immunizations children should receive and when. The new federal guidance now recommends flu vaccines only for certain high-risk children who have consulted with a physician, a practice health officials call “shared clinical decision-making.”
At a Thursday morning news conference, Health Director Kanika Cunningham said the science supporting vaccine safety has not changed.
“[The vaccines] have been rigorously tested and have been affirmed through decades of scientific research and real-world use,” she said.
County Executive Sam Page, a medical doctor, said the federal change in recommendations was“very unusual” because it was made hastily and without the usual public comment period that allows scientists and medical professionals to weigh in.
Page encouraged residents to discuss vaccinations with their family doctor or pediatrician.
The change in federal recommendations comes amid a nasty flu season. In Missouri, respiratory illness activity –— defined as outpatient visits for fever, cough and sore throat — is “very high,” according to federal surveillance data.
In St. Louis County, there have been eight influenza-related deaths so far this season, Cunningham said. Those deaths were among people who were older or who were at higher risk because they were smokers, immunocompromised or had other health issues.
Most of the people who died had not received this year’s flu shot, Cunningham said.
Health officials emphasized that influenza can be deadly, particularly for people at higher risk, including older adults, young children, pregnant people and those with chronic health conditions.
There have been two flu outbreaks at county schools, according to the county’s most recent weekly flu report. The number of reported flu cases remains high but has declined in the past two weeks.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leaders said the revised recommendations were intended to align the country’s vaccine schedule with peer nations such as Denmark.
The CDC continues to recommend immunizations for other illnesses, such as measles, polio and varicella.
Some state leaders have also taken action against the federal government’s recommendations.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a bill last month that allowed the director of the state’s Department of Public Health to issue state-specific guidelines with input from the state’s Immunity Advisory Community.
When asked about the St. Louis Department of Health’s stance on the updated guidelines, a spokeswoman said that the agency “continues to recommend vaccination as a key tool for preventing illness, but we strongly encourage parents to consult with their pediatrician about recommendations for their children.”
