Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order last week to protect state residents' access to vaccines as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services changes eligibility and rolls back previous policy.

The order establishes the Statewide Vaccine Access Initiative, which is led by the Illinois Department of Public Health, to protect vaccine access and also directs IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra to issue a standing order allowing eligible providers in pharmacies and other clinical settings to administer vaccines.

The order also calls for public health officials to publish plain-language guidance on vaccines, support school-based vaccine efforts, and work with local health departments and other organizations to reach families statewide.

The order will protect access to a range of vaccines including those for COVID-19, flu, RSV, polio, measles, whooping cough and hepatitis B, the governor's office said.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. changed the government's vaccine guidelines this spring, removing the CDC's recommendation for children and healthy pregnant women get vaccinated for COVID-19, though his policy still allows children to access the vaccine. In August, the FDA approved new COVID vaccines but only approved them for all seniors and younger adults and children with health conditions, creating a barrier for healthy adults and children to get vaccinated.

Kennedy is a longtime vaccine skeptic. More than 1,000 current and former HHS employees penned an open letter calling on him to either resign or be fired at the beginning of September. He has also pushed to cancel vaccine research and clinical trials.

The state encourages all Illinoisans to speak to their doctors and health care providers about getting their fall respiratory vaccines. 

Please note: The above video is from a previous, related report.