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News Releases | Jun 11, 2025 FROM ACOG Open Letter Urging COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage in Pregnancy

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:22:05 GMT

REPUBLISHED News Releases | Jun 11, 2025 FROM ACOG Open Letter Urging COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage in Pregnancy

Our organizations call upon payers and insurers to continue making the COVID-19 vaccine available to pregnant people without undue utilization management or cost-sharing requirements. As organizations dedicated to public health and evidence-based health care for pregnant patients, we are particularly passionate about ensuring equitable and free access to these critical vaccines. We are deeply concerned about the recently adopted HHS policy to no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Given the historic gaps in research, investment, and support for women’s health, it is essential that all aspects of obstetric and gynecologic care—including COVID-19 vaccination—be grounded in the best available scientific evidence.

Research has shown that pregnant women who have COVID-19 are more likely to need care in an intensive care unit or with a ventilator, or to die from the illness. They are also more likely to have cesarean birth, preeclampsia or eclampsia, and blood clots. COVID-19-related complications are worse in pregnant women with particular comorbidities (eg, hypertension and obesity) and socioeconomic risk factors. These pregnant patients may face greater obstacles to optimal health due to social, economic, or environmental disparities.

We also understand that the severe effects of COVID-19 infection are not limited to those who are pregnant. Studies demonstrate that infants who are born following a COVID-19 infection during pregnancy are at an increased risk of low birth weight, stillbirth, respiratory distress, and rarely, vertical transmission. Data also continue to demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe and effective, and that it protects pregnant patients and their infants after birth. In fact, the vast majority of infants under six months who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection had not received the protective benefit of vaccination during pregnancy. It is vital that we ensure that pregnant women continue to have access to this prevention tool so that they can protect themselves and their young infants, a vulnerable group who is not yet eligible for vaccination.

Our organizations assert that we must continue to prioritize high levels of COVID-19 vaccine coverage in pregnant patients to protect them and their infants after birth from undue morbidity and mortality. The science around the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy has not changed; therefore, we maintain our position and strong recommendation that all pregnant patients should continue to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. As such, payers should be fully reimbursing for the cost of providing immunization counseling and administration services for all evidence-based vaccinations without utilization management practices or cost-sharing requirements for all patients, including pregnant patients. Payers have the authority to go above and beyond the baseline federal recommendations for vaccinations and can provide equitable and free access to this critical tool to increase availability for all patients.

In this unprecedented time of uncertainty, all health care professionals and insurers must continue to rely on science and evidence to provide the most effective and quality care to patients. We urge payers and insurers to embrace the opportunity to join us in working toward improved health outcomes for women and infants and to continue coverage of vaccines that is based on evidence and saves lives.

Resources

COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Obstetric–Gynecologic Care

FDA’s narrow COVID-19 vaccine label ignores science and puts millions of lives at risk

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 22:21:04 GMT

This is a re-posting. Find the original article here .

Last Updated

August 27, 2025

COVID-19 vaccines remain our best tool to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 — for healthy adults, children, pregnant patients and others at higher risk. The scientific evidence continues to strongly support broad vaccination far beyond the limited populations outlined in the Food and Drug Administration’s new label. By narrowing its approval, FDA has made a decision that completely contradicts the evidence base, severely undermines trust in science-driven policy and dangerously limits vaccine access, removing millions of Americans’ choice to be protected and increasing the risk of severe outcomes from COVID.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently reaffirmed its recommendation for vaccination in children, and IDSA is working with other medical societies to finalize updated guidelines for COVID vaccination in both healthy and immunocompromised adults as part of our comprehensive respiratory virus guidance for this fall and winter. IDSA’s recommendations are expected to be released in September.

Physicians can still provide COVID vaccines off-label, and IDSA strongly urges doctors to continue recommending and administering vaccination to their patients based on the best available science. However, pharmacists’ ability to provide off-label vaccines may be severely constrained, underscoring the vital role of physicians and other clinicians in maintaining access.

IDSA calls on insurers to continue covering COVID vaccines consistent with multiple medical society recommendations and scientific evidence, and we urge Congress to conduct strong oversight of the Administration’s decision to restrict Americans’ freedom to choose vaccination as we approach the upcoming respiratory virus season.

— Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP — President, IDSA

About IDSA

The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a global community of 13,000 clinicians, scientists and public health experts working together to solve humanity’s smallest and greatest challenges, from tiny microbes to global outbreaks. Rooted in science, committed to health equity and driven by curiosity, our compassionate and knowledgeable members safeguard the health of individuals, our communities and the world by advancing the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Visit idsociety.org to learn more.

Yahoo News Confused by the new COVID vaccine guidelines? Here's what you need to know.

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 22:21:04 GMT

Almost everyone can still get the shots, but a lot of people will have to go through some extra steps. Mike Bebernes, Reporter Updated Fri, August 29, 2025 at 1:37 PM CDT

EXCERPT BELOW; for the entire article CLICK HERE!

– Andrew Pekosz, professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who studies respiratory illnesses

Just last week, there were 1,317 active COVID-19 cases in Maryland. But weekly cases have been on a steady rise since mid-summer, when there were just 390 reported COVID-19 cases during the first week of July.

That said, fatalities attributed to COVID-19 are low. There were only three COVID-related deaths last week, according to the state health department. Since July 1, there have been 27 deaths attributed to the virus.

Pekosz said that even though the new guidelines specifically say “high risk” populations should have access to vaccines, limiting its availability to others could still end up lowering protection for the high-risk groups.

“More cases in healthy individuals will spill over into the high-risk groups,” Pekosz says. “More-vulnerable populations do not respond as well to the COVID vaccine. So while the vaccine works, it doesn’t work as well. When you vaccinate the whole population you start to generate these layers of protections.”

Pekosz expects that fewer people will get the vaccine this year due to the confusion.

He and other public health advocates await further guidance on the COVID-19 vaccine this year. Meanwhile, Pekosz recommends that Marylanders prepare for the seasonal rise in cases by picking up some at-home COVID tests. But he still says the COVID vaccine is effective and safe.

“The vaccine is efficacious, I would much rather get the vaccine than get COVID. And that is now being taken off the table for a large number of people,” he said.