Why Should Delaware Care?
As Democratic-controlled states form coalitions to create their own health guidelines separate from the federal government, Delaware issued own order expanding access to coronavirus vaccines.
Delaware officials are doubling down on efforts to ensure the COVID vaccine is available in the state, following uncertainty sparked by recent Trump administration actions including new federal recommendations limiting immunizations to those who are 65 or older, or who have certain health conditions.
On Wednesday, Gov. Matt Meyer’s administration issued a “standing order” to pharmacists in Delaware to “ensure ease of access” for people seeking the vaccines in the state.
The order included several technical specifications for pharmacies, including details about who is eligible for the vaccine and how to request consent from them.
Also on Wednesday, Meyer called on the state’s Board of Pharmacy to convene an “emergency meeting” to affirm his standing order. Meyer spokeswoman Mila Myles said the affirmation acts as “an extra layer of protection” for the licenses of health officials who provide the vaccine.
“While we’re confident this standing order protects pharmacists who may want to provide vaccines, we recognize additional reassurance is warranted,” Myles said in a text message.
Get involved:
Delaware’s Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. on Friday Sept. 12 in Suite 203 Conference Room C at 861 Silver Lake Blvd, Dover. Read the agenda here.
The governor’s actions follow a shift in federal guidelines around who should take the COVID vaccine. Reuters reports that health insurance companies typically follow those guidelines when deciding whether to cover the cost of a procedure.
Delaware’s new standing order – signed by the Delaware Division of Public Health’s medical director, Awele Maduka-Ezeh – said pharmacists could vaccinate “any individual” who wanted an immunization, so long as they are eligible and don’t have medical reasons barring them from receiving the shot.
Maduka-Ezeh said in a corresponding press release that the goal of the order is to “support patients and their health care teams in making informed decisions, while protecting public health and making preventive care easier to access.”
The press release also said that Meyer ordered the Division of Public Health and Department of Education to revise state regulations to “ensure that changes to federal guidance do not negatively impact the health and safety of Delaware students.”
In the wake of federal uncertainty, Delaware’s insurance office also released a list of insurance carriers that have committed to providing coverage for vaccines.
Last week, Delaware also joined a coalition of Northeastern states to focus on “developing evidence-based recommendations on vaccinations, disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and supporting state public health labs.”
The state’s decision to join the regional coalition came after Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey ordered her state’s insurance carriers to continue to cover vaccines, even if they were not recommended by the federal government.
A shift away from federal health officials has also occurred on the West Coast, with California, Oregon and Washington forming their own coalition this month to manage public health recommendations.
States that have made such moves have tend to be controlled by elected officials who are Democrats.
Conversely, Florida, which has a Republican governor, has announced that it would repeal many vaccine mandates for schoolchildren.