Pritzker Signs Executive Order Defending Vaccine Access Amid RFK-Led Federal Changes

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed an executive order to protect access to vaccines for COVID-19, RSV, the flu, polio, measles, whooping cough and other illnesses for Illinois residents. The order comes amid ongoing federal changes surrounding vaccine requirements and anti-vaccine rhetoric, spearheaded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Friday's executive order will permit the state to "quickly adapt to barriers put in place by the federal government that jeopardize life-saving immunizations for children, families, seniors, people with disabilities, and rural and underserved communities," according to a news release from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

The release says the order was "necessitated by federal actions, including the abrupt dismissal of top administrators from the CDC, the unilateral shift in FDA approval for some uses of COVID-19 vaccines, and the firing of all members of the independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) board," leading to "the erosion of trust, caused confusion regarding vaccine guidelines, and threatened access to life-saving vaccines."

Related: New COVID-19 Vaccine Restrictions: What It Means For IL Residents

Pritzker's order establishes a Statewide Vaccine Access Initiative that "ensures" access to immunizations and aims to "provide stability and support providers and the public in the context of volatile and concerning actions taken by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.," the news release said. It also calls for IDPH and partner agencies to publish plain-language guidance, continue to support school-based vaccination efforts, and work with local health departments, it said.

In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed its recommendations that healthy pregnant women and children receive COVID vaccines.

The Food and Drug Administration approved new seasonal versions of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech and from Moderna, but announced changes to who is eligible to receive them, saying the updated vaccines would be available to everyone age 65 or older, the FDA said. Those 64 or younger would only receive the vaccines if they have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19, the FDA said.

But Pritzker's order "ensures that Illinoisans will be able to receive the immunizations they need during the anticipated rise in seasonal respiratory illnesses later this fall," a news release from the Illinois Department of Public Health said.

"This is about making sure no family in Illinois is left wondering if they can protect themselves against preventable serious illness," Pritzker said in a statement. "When the federal government abandons its responsibility, Illinois will step up. We will follow the science, listen to medical experts, and do everything in our power to enable families to receive the care they need."

On Saturday, Pritzker had more harsh words for the federal government, tweeting, "RFK Jr. is working to single-handedly dismantle the CDC. He’s ignoring decades of research and science to advance his own anti-vaccine agenda. He’s unqualified for the role, and his positions are deadly."

Amid the executive order, the IDPH plans to convene its Immunization Advisory Committee (IAC) on Sept. 22 to "incorporate all data that meets scientific standards" as it finalizes its vaccine guidance before Sept. 26 for the fall and winter seasons, the news release said.

"Vaccines are safe, effective, and essential to saving lives," IDPH Executive Director Sameer Vohra said in a statement. "With confusing and conflicting guidelines from the federal government, the Executive Order ensures Illinois residents have the credible, transparent, and science-based guidance they need to make vaccine decisions for themselves and their family."

Vohra added, "We will work with every partner—from pharmacies to schools to rural clinics—to ensure access to critical vaccines to keep our Illinois residents and their families protected."