by Me.MD

Senator Cassidy cast a deciding vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) to become Secretary of Health and Human Services.  Even though RFK has spread anti-vaccine misinformation across the internet for years, he promised, PROMISED, Senator Cassidy that he wouldn’t change existing vaccine recommendations.

Take a look at how that played out …. 

COVID, anyone?

At a recent senate hearing, RFK indicated he did not know how many people had died of COVID-19.  Huh?  Maybe he just missed the memo?  

As of June 1, 2024, nearly 1.2 million people had died of COVID-19 in the U.S.(http://cdc.gov/covid/about/index.html).  

Then vaccines saved the day!  Yes!  We could go out again; go back to work again; go back to school again!  See friends again! 

Initially all children and adults and were all eligible to receive one or two shots (depending on the manufacturer) to prevent serious illness.  (Mild illness could still develop, but people would stop dying!).  Sadly, immunity from the shots wore off over time, not to mention the virus’s constant changing, so booster shots every 6 months or so were needed.  

And there’s the rub.  

On January 1, 2025, CDC booster vaccine guidance was:

• Everyone aged 6 months or older (who had not contraindications) should get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.

• Adults over 65 and immunocompromised individuals should get a second dose of the updated vaccine if their first dose was more than 6 months earlier.

• Vaccination was also recommended for pregnant people, those who are breastfeeding, and those trying to become pregnant. The guidance explicitly included them in the “everyone 6 months and older”

Then Mr. Kennedy, Secretary of Health and Human Services, who had PROMISED, Senator Cassidy that he wouldn’t change existing vaccine recommendations got into action.

On May 27, 2025: 

• Mr. Kennedy announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.  

Fact check:  Pregnant people are at heightened risk of severe illness and death if they get COVID-19, and vaccination plays a critical role in preventing severe illness. 

On August 27, 2025:

• Updated (2025) Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax boosters were approved by the FDA for adults over  65 years of age, but NOT for healthy children and adults ages 6 months to 64 years unless they have at least one underlying condition putting them at high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. 

Fact check:  Removing children, healthy adults and pregnant people from the recommended vaccine schedule is likely to make obtaining the vaccines more difficult (require doctor’s prescription) and more expensive (without insurance coverage) for large numbers of people.

Regardless of FDA approval, federal vaccine recommendations are made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that makes recommendations to the Center for Disease Control  (CDC) which then provides the  federal immunization administration protocol that governs eligibility for different vaccines.  At this time, neither the ACIP nor the CDC have provided recommendations for 2025-26 COVID boosters.  

NOW WHAT?  

Under the January 1, 2025 protocol and under Louisiana state law, any adult could walk into a local pharmacy and get a free vaccine.  

No more.

We are still waiting for federal government ( ACIP and CDC) to provide an immunization administration protocol that will govern eligibility for 2025-26 COVID-19 boosters.  The ACIP committee is scheduled to meet in September.  In the meanwhile, Louisiana folks are waiting for recommendations so they can get their shots before the fall flu and COVID seasons starts

Without a formal ACIP and CDC protocol, no one is sure what will be permitted.  Since state law only allows pharmacies to administer vaccines that are approved through ACIP and CDC, at this point, both CVS and Walgreens can only offer updated COVID-19 vaccines if people come in with a prescription.  No prescription:  no vaccine.  

And Louisiana’s Senator Cassidy, who chairs the Senate health committee, wants to postpone the September 18 ACIP meeting!  

Politics.  Politics.  Politics.

One more thing:  Vaccines have traditionally been covered by medical insurance based on ACIP recommendations. No recommendation:  no coverage.  And ACIP hasn’t provided2025-26 COVID-19 recommendations yet.  If they elect (or the CDC overrides any contrary suggestion) NOT to recommend COVID boosters for healthy adults and children between 6 months and 65 years, then individuals will need to cover the cost of vaccines out of pocket. 

How much?  

Internet search of prices for COVID-19 2025-26 booster shots ranged from $89 (Costco) to $130 (Albertsons/Sav-On).  Vaccination for a healthy family of 4 will run from $356 to $520.  Groceries, anyone?

Who gets hurt?  

• First all, low-income families.  Between the high out of pocket cost and the need for a primary care provider, some people will delay or skip vaccination altogether.  

• Second of all:  Everyone.

SCIENCE LESSON:  Herd Immunity

Herd immunity develops when enough people have achieved immunity (protection) against a virus to make it difficult for the infection to spread. That way, even people without immunity (unvaccinated, immunocompromised, very young)  are relatively protected.  Neighbors helping neighbors through being vaccinated.  Vaccination (rather than illness) is still the safest way to develop and maintain immunity.  Public health officials estimate that 85% of the population needs to have developed immunity in order to effectively prevent spread of COVID.  

If anticipated recommendations go into place, fewer people in the overall population will ultimately be vaccinated (and develop immunity) against COVID-19 and, increasingly, the disease will spread.  

Does anyone REMEMBER what that was like?  As of June 1, 2024, nearly 1.2 million people had died of COVID-19 in the U.S.  Does ANYONE want to do it again?

Senator Cassidy, did you REALLY mean this?

LESSONS LEARNED

In order to protect the community we need everyone who can possibly be vaccinated to take the shots.  

“My body, my choice,” is rather like insisting that I can run through an intersection whenever I damn well please because red lights are nothing but a form of communist coercion.  Sure.  My truck is bigger than your sedan so, I’ll run through you if I want.  What a world!

BACK TO LOUISIANA

As of 9/13/25, there are a few options for people who want COVID boosters:

• Healthcare Providers: Primary care physician, can both prescribe and provide vaccines in their offices. 

• Louisiana Department of Health operates Parish Health Units throughout the state where qualified residents can get free vaccines. People can make appointments, but they also take walk-ins.  (https://ldh.la.gov/directory/category/482?pn=1) 

• Federally Qualified Health Centers: FQHCs offer free vaccines for qualified people through various federal programs.  (https://ldh.la.gov/directory)