• Posted November 4, 2024

In a National First, an Idaho Health Department Is Refusing to Give COVID Vaccines

In what may be a first for the United States, a regional public health department in Idaho will no longer provide COVID-19 vaccines, following a close vote by its board.

“I’m not aware of anything else like this,” said Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told the Associated Press. She noted that some health departments have stopped offering the vaccine because of cost or low demand, but not based on the value of the shots themselves.

While Texas officials have banned health departments from promoting COVID vaccines and Florida’s surgeon general has recommended against the vaccine, health agencies across the country haven’t yet blocked the vaccines outright, the AP reported.

In the case of Idaho, the six-county district along the state's border with Oregon has seen demand drop for COVID vaccines -- with 1,601 given in 2021, but only 64 given so far in 2024, according to the AP.

Last month, the health department’s board voted 4-3 in favor of the ban.

Board Chairman Kelly Aberasturi told the AP that while he’s skeptical of COVID vaccines, he was supportive of but “disappointed” in the board’s decision.

He added that the board had overstepped the relationship between patients and their doctors and opened a door to blocking other vaccines.

Meanwhile, Southwest’s medical director testified to the vaccine’s necessity, the AP reported.

“Our request of the board is that we would be able to carry and offer those [vaccines], recognizing that we always have these discussions of risks and benefits,” Dr. Perry Jansen said during the meeting. “This is not a blind, everybody-gets-a-shot approach. This is a thoughtful approach.”

However, more than 290 public comments made on the proposal called for an end to vaccine mandates or taxpayer funding of the vaccines.

Board members in favor of the decision argued people can get vaccinated elsewhere, and that providing the shots was equivalent to signing off on their safety.

But the folks typically getting vaccinated at the health department -- including people without housing, people who are homebound and those in long-term care facilities or immigrants -- have no other options, Jansen and Aberasturi said.

“I’ve been homeless in my lifetime, so I understand how difficult it can be when you’re … trying to get by and get ahead,” Aberasturi said. “This is where we should be stepping in and helping. But we have some board members who have never been there, so they don’t understand what it’s like.”

State health officials have noted that COVID vaccines are still available at community health centers for people who are uninsured.

Aberasturi said he plans to ask at the next board meeting if the health department can at least be allowed to vaccinate older patients and residents of long-term care facilities.

“But I believe the way we went about this thing is we didn’t do that due diligence,” he added.

More information

The CDC has more on COVID vaccines.

SOURCE: Associated Press