Governor JB Pritzker has directed the Illinois Department of Public Health to issue state-specific vaccine guidelines for COVID-19, flu, RSV, and other common immunizations in response to major federal shakeups.
The executive order calls on IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra to authorize providers to administer vaccines based on state-reviewed science. The move follows recent actions by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including the FDA’s rollback of COVID-19 vaccine approvals and the removal of key CDC officials and advisory boards.
Illinois joins states like California, New York, and Colorado in establishing their own vaccine guidance. IDPH noted the new guidelines will be advisory, not mandatory, but reportedly aim to provide science-informed options when federal recommendations fall short.
