West Coast States Issue Unified Vaccine Recommendations

Creator: Christian Emmer, Creative Commons

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, Governor Tina Kotek of Oregon, Governor Bob Ferguson of Washington, and Governor Josh Green of Hawaii Sept. 17 announced coordinated winter virus vaccination recommendations through the West Coast Health Alliance or WCHA. These recommendations include the 2025–26 COVID-19, influenza, and RSV vaccines.

In addition, Governor Newsom signed AB 144, authorizing California to base future immunization guidance on independent medical organizations rather than the CDC’s increasingly politicized advisory committee on immunization practices.

Vaccination is safe, effective, and the best protection available against respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Seasonal vaccination is also a critical public health tool to reduce serious illness, community transmission, and strain on hospitals.

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States stepping in

Alliance states are fighting back against the Trump administration’s assault on science — sharing a commitment to ensuring that health recommendations are guided by safety, efficacy, transparency, access, and trust. To develop these recommendations, health officers, who are all medical doctors, and subject matter experts from each of the WCHA states reviewed guidelines from national medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics or AAP, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or ACOG, and the American Academy of Family Physicians or AAFP. Our alliance believes that all clinically recommended vaccinations should be accessible to the people of our states.

The WCHA will continue to build its structure, evaluate new evidence and recommendations as they become available, and determine how to ensure the review process is transparent. WCHA will share any updated assessments with its communities.

Details: To learn more about these updated recommendations, click here.