A bill declaring a break from the federal authority is now heading to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk to become the law of the Garden State. In a move aimed to shift vaccine policy authority from the federal government to the state level, the New Jersey Assembly voted 51–24 to pass legislation granting the state Department of Health (NJDOH) power to issue its own immunization recommendations, independent of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
The bill, Assembly 6166, had already cleared the Senate and now awaits action from Gov. Phil Murphy, who may sign or veto the measure in the coming days.
NJDOH reported its first pediatric flu death and reminded residents to protect themselves and loved ones against influenza and other respiratory viruses. New Jersey reported 12,211 total influenza, or flu, cases for the week ending Dec. 27 - more than double what it reported the same time last season. In the wake of recent revisions to federal childhood immunization guidance, the Northeast Public Health Collaborative continues to recommend the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule (PDF). The Northeast Public Health Collaborative (CT, DE, NJ, ME, MD, MA, PA, NY, NYC, RI & VT.) is a voluntary coalition of public health agencies from 10 states and New York City, formed to share expertise, improve coordination, and promote evidence-based public health. The collaborative was established in response to perceived political interference and policy shifts at federal health agencies, aiming to provide a unified, science-based regional approach to public health issues. https://www.nj.gov/health/