Sen. Bill Cassidy Slams Louisiana’s New Vaccine Policy—Here’s Why
BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL News) - Two politicians, both of whom are doctors, are at odds over a new Louisiana health policy.
Just days after Louisiana health chief and former congressman Ralph Abraham announced Louisiana would shift its focus away from vaccine promotion, Cassidy spoke out in criticism of the move.
Louisiana Takes a Stand on Vaccines
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced last week that it would be moving away from promoting vaccines and holding mass vaccination events - including for COVID-19 and influenza.
Louisiana's Surgeon General, Dr. Ralph Abraham, made the announcement on February 13 in an LDH press release. Rather than promoting those vaccines and holding major events, state health workers will provide vaccine data and encourage individuals to consult their personal healthcare providers.
READ MORE: Louisiana Department of Health Makes Major Vaccine Announcement
The decision comes at a time when Louisiana is suffering a major flu outbreak, with one of the highest percent positive rates in the country. The state is routinely under-vaccinated for the flu, and respiratory illnesses have a major impact each year.
Cassidy Criticizes Louisiana's Policy
But not every elected Republican in Louisiana is for the change in policy.
Senator Bill Cassidy, also a doctor, criticized the move, saying parents who want to get their child immunized "can't get in to see the doctor."
"Working parents suddenly realize their child needs to be immunized and they can't get in to see the doctor," he argued. "It may be six weeks or longer for a routine visit. That is why as a doctor, I ran large-scale immunization programs to bring health care and immunizations to the patient."
He went on to advocate for vaccine fairs and promoting vaccines.
“Things like vaccine fairs keep a child from having to miss school and a mother from having to miss work. That is the reality of today's medicine. To say that cannot occur and that someone must wait for the next available appointment ignores that reality," the senator said.
Cassidy, R-La., said that advertising where vaccines are available can help parents keep their children healthy.
"Removing these resources for parents is not a stand for parents' rights. It prevents making health care more convenient and available for people who are very busy," he said.
Cassidy's comments don't include references to local and chain pharmacies, which also frequently promote vaccinations and provide them on-site. Several job sites, public and private, also provide vaccinations through in-house events.
Supporting Robert Kennedy
On the same day that Louisiana announced its new policy on vaccines, the U.S. Senate confirmed Robert Kennedy, Jr. to be the new Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump.
Kennedy is a known critic of vaccines in America. Cassidy's vote was central to advancing him out of committee and confirming the nomination. After the confirmation vote, in fact, Cassidy said he looks forward to "working closely with Secretary Kennedy to improve the health of all Americans."
Cassidy's support of Kennedy is seen as at odds with his opposition to the new state policy.
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