An expert external panel convened by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is due to come together on Tuesday, following a postponement of nearly two months. The anticipated agenda for the two-day meeting will include updating the rules for several types of vaccines, not least among them the guidelines for the new series of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Other items expected to be on the discussion list of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) include the increasing rates of measles infections in the U.S. More than 700 infections have been reported this year, with Texas and New Mexico being the hardest hit, primarily affecting individuals who have not been vaccinated.
The ACIP’s meeting was originally scheduled for February but was delayed unexpectedly. According to the CDC, a component of Health and Human Services (HHS), the reason for this delay was to allow for input from the public on the issues at hand.
The panel’s deliberations are expected to cover usage rules for a number of vaccines. This includes vaccinations for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as well as chikungunya, a disease that mosquitoes typically transmit.
Updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will also be on the committee’s agenda. One discussion point will likely involve a reassessment of the current recommendations on who should receive these updated inoculations for the 2025-2026 year, and whether these should be narrowed down to include fewer individuals.
As it stands, the CDC’s stance is that everyone aged six months and older should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccination, irrespective of whether they have previously been vaccinated against this disease.
Interestingly, COVID-19 was not a point of discussion in the original version of the agenda for the previously scheduled meeting, which was set to take place in February.
The ACIP routinely convenes several times a year with the aim of reviewing the latest scientific findings and making consequent recommendations. The organization’s regular assemblage allows for the constant updating of the vaccine schedule and incorporation of newest vaccines as they are developed and approved.