States are facing delays in obtaining COVID-19 vaccines for children through a federal immunization program because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet begun accepting orders, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
The delay affects programs including Vaccines for Children, which provides vaccines to eligible children through participating providers.
The Vaccines for Children program serves children who are uninsured, Medicaid-eligible, underinsured in certain circumstances, or American Indian or Alaska Native.
The delay comes amid changes to federal COVID-19 vaccination guidance. The CDC’s current framework places COVID vaccination in a risk-based, shared clinical decision-making category rather than recommending it universally for all children.
Meanwhile, demand for childhood COVID vaccination has declined, adding to concerns about access and uptake as the fall vaccination season begins.
Related Tweet:
Exclusive: States haven’t yet been able to obtain Covid-19 shots from the CDC, delaying their distribution to millions of children through federal programs, according to people familiar with the matter https://t.co/wY25HRaHbC
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) September 16, 2026
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TIPP Staff
