Protecting your vaccine access in Pennsylvania

Rep. Lisa Borowski October 3, 2025 | 9:33 AM

Like many of you who have contacted me since the federal government began announcing alarming (and confusing) new recommendations intended to limit access to lifesaving vaccines – COVID-19, influenza, and the combined MMRV vaccine for children – I’ve been nervous about what those decisions will mean for my health and my loved ones’.

I want to reassure you that Governor Shapiro is addressing these developments quickly & with decisive action, working with state agencies and the legislature to make sure you and your family, from its youngest to its oldest members, get the vaccines recommended by your doctors.

These changes to vaccine policy were made by appointees to the FDA and CDC who lack proper health credentials, and are trying to sow confusion and fear around vaccination.

Here’s what has happened so far, and how we’re responding in PA:

Last month, Secretary Kennedy directed the CDC to stop recommending flu shots for healthy children and pregnant women, even though all major doctor associations disagree. Last week, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) reversed the medical community’s recommendations on the Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella (MMRV) vaccine for children under 4.

The FDA is working to restrict COVID-19 vaccinations to only seniors aged 65 and older; anyone younger will require diagnosis with a high-risk health problem to be eligible. Pharmacies in some states (not PA – more on that below!) are now denying vaccines based on these recommendations.

In response…

The Shapiro Administration issued clear recommendations urging Pennsylvanians to consult other trusted medical authorities for vaccine information, including the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

The PA Dept. of Health issued its own vaccine guidance and expanded the list of authorities health care providers can rely on for vaccine guidance to include the groups listed above. The State Board of Pharmacy, State Board of Medicine, State Board of Nursing, and State Board of Osteopathic Medicine all quickly endorsed these actions, which means doctors, pharmacists, and nurses can legally provide vaccines according to their guidance instead of the CDC’s.

The PA Insurance Dept. confirmed that private insurance companies operating in PA will continue to cover all vaccines covered under ACIP’s 2024 recommendations, before medical experts were replaced by political operatives.

On October 2, Governor Shapiro signed an Executive Order that takes even more actions to protect your access to vaccines and your freedom to make your own health care decisions. The order:
- Creates a state-based safety net to protect children’s access to vaccines.
- Requires state agencies to align with trusted medical experts.
- Launches a central online vaccine portal.
- Establishes a Vaccine Education Workgroup to strengthen communication and combat misinformation.
- Ensures coverage of recommended vaccines through Medicaid and private insurance.
- Directs the Departments of Aging and Education to ensure older adults and schools have access to evidence-based guidance.

The bottom line: From physicians to pharmacists, ALL health care providers in PA can still legally provide vaccines as they have been, despite the new CDC and FDA restrictions – which means your and your family’s access to vaccines are safely secured in Pennsylvania.

I will continue to keep you informed on these and related issues concerning medical guidance handed down by the federal government, and how we are responding in Pennsylvania.

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