Protecting your vaccine access in Pennsylvania
Rep. Lisa Borowski August 12, 2026
August 15, 2026:
On August 10, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the federal Department of Health & Human Services to direct the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention to change its recommended childhood vaccine schedule recommendations, primarily to separate the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three different shots administered at separate appointments.
In doing so, he also made false claims that the MMR vaccine is dangerous to children's health, and may cause autism.
These claims have been proven false many times over and go against the recommendation of medical professionals. While the executive order does not make any direct changes to any policy or regulation, doctors say it still endangers children and will create new logistical problems for our healthcare system.
First, I want to reassure you that you do not need to be immediately concerned about this executive order; it does not make any direct changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, and health insurance companies say they will not alter their coverage of childhood vaccinations in response.
Here are some more facts about the announcement, along with links to more information:
- Dr. Paul Offit, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia vaccine researcher and former government adviser, said the recommendations by Trump and Kennedy “are just not science based,” and it’s irresponsible to cast doubt on a vaccine that protects against measles when the nation is facing its biggest epidemic in more than 30 years. “The harm that it will cause is … to induce chaos and confusion into the system, so people aren’t sure what they’re supposed to do,” he said. [Associated Press article via the Delaware County Daily Times]
- Public health experts have raised concerns that spacing out shots as Trump suggests can lead to an increased risk that children become infected with a vaccine-preventable disease before returning for another visit. Childhood vaccines — and how and when to give them in combination — go through rigorous studies, and safety tracking continues for years as the shots are used. [Associated Press article]
- Even as the order calls for revised vaccine recommendations, states, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. The order advises states with school vaccine mandates to consider updating their laws to reflect the administration’s preferred schedule, according to a White House fact sheet.
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An Associated Press article from 8/11/26 breaks down each claim in the executive order. For example: TRUMP: “You have the MMR, we want it in three separate vaccinations given at separate times. Together there could be a possibility they are quite lethal and separately, it looks like they are not at all lethal but just very effective.”
THE FACTS: This is false. Doctors say, and years of real-world evidence prove, that the current combination MMR vaccine is both safe and effective at protecting children from illness. Common side effects are mild and include a sore arm from the shot, fever, mild rash and temporary pain and stiffness in the joints. Doctors point out that separate vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella are not available in the United States.
“I’m concerned about an unintended consequence of people under vaccinating because of fear that giving a single dose of the MMR is going to put their child at risk when there’s no evidence to suggest that’s the case,” said Dr. Aaron Milstone, pediatric director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins Health System and a fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics. “There are many, many, many years of scientific data highlighting the safety of vaccines in children.”
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Doctors and vaccine scientists have expressed dismay at the order, which they say is not backed by gold-standard science. "As measles cases reach a 35-year high in the U.S. and with cold and flu season quickly approaching, [the] executive order on vaccines is not only disheartening but dangerous,” Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), said in a statement. “There is no new evidence to justify significant changes to childhood immunization guidance.”
But will the executive order actually change what vaccines are available to children? Probably not, legal scholars and medical experts say.
Still, it could put pressure on states to change their vaccine recommendations and requirements. It could also have a chilling effect on vaccine uptake. [TIME magazine article]
October 2025:
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 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.
- On October 17, the PID issued a notice that reinforce's Governor Shapiro's Executive Order by reaffirming the department's expectations for insurers to cover the COVID-19 vaccine and other important vaccines during the 2025–26 calendar years. It states these vaccines should be covered at no cost to consumers, with no extra fees or unnecessary hurdles, and consistent with approved policy language, through at least December 31, 2026.
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.
LINKS:
RELEVANT LEGISLATION (I'm a cosponsor of each of the below bills):
- H.B. 1828 - Protecting Vaccine Access in Pennsylvania: Would reinforce Gov. Shapiro's executive order by requiring private insurers and Medicaid to cover available vaccines that are recommended by professional medical societies in their immunization schedules.
- H.B. 1881 - Protecting Pennsylvanians' Access to Vaccines through Pharmacists: Would reinforce Gov. Shapiro's executive order by allowing pharmacists to administer vaccines that are recommended by professional medical societies in their immunization schedules.
- H.B. 1802 - Maintaining Access to COVID-19 Vaccines for Preventative Health: Would maintain that COVID-19 vaccines remain a no-cost preventative care option for all eligible individuals who want to be vaccinated.