CDC Delays Free COVID-19 Vaccine Access for Low-Income Children

Three weeks after the FDA approved updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccines, the CDC had still not opened ordering through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which covers roughly half of U.S. children who are uninsured or underinsured. Privately insured families could already obtain shots through pediatricians and retail pharmacies (at up to $149.99 out of pocket), while public health departments serving low-income families could not place orders. The stall followed the collapse of ACIP's normal functioning amid ongoing litigation over Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s restructuring of the vaccine advisory committee.