Colorado steps up to promote vaccines, as feds pull back : NPR

Key Points:

• Colorado has passed a new law allowing state health officials to follow recommendations from national medical groups rather than federal guidance on vaccines, aiming to insulate the state from politicized federal vaccine policies and maintain public trust.
• In response to federal changes, including the removal of six pediatric immunizations from the CDC's universal recommendation list, Colorado formed the coalition Colorado Chooses Vaccines to advocate for vaccine science and educate residents on the benefits of immunization.
• The state has seen a surge in vaccine-preventable illnesses such as measles and flu, with vaccination rates for measles below herd immunity levels and recent increases in flu-related child deaths, highlighting concerns about declining vaccine coverage.
• The new law also expands pharmacists' authority to administer vaccines and provides greater legal protections for healthcare workers, though it faces opposition from some who argue it infringes on parental choice and question vaccine safety.
• Colorado has taken additional public health steps, including joining the WHO's Global Outbreak and Response Network independently and participating in multi-state legal actions to defend vaccine schedules amid federal policy disputes.