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Broomfield Board of Health opposes recent CDC vaccine schedule changes and will issue local statement
Summary
At its Jan. 8 meeting the Broomfield County Board of Health heard that the CDC has revised Tdap and HPV dosing recommendations without new evidence; the board agreed to support a BPHE communications plan to affirm the prior schedule and to counter misinformation that could lower vaccination rates.
The Broomfield County Board of Health on Jan. 8 heard that recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance reducing recommended Tdap and HPV doses did not come with new supporting evidence, and the board agreed to back a local communications statement opposing the changes.
Dr. Robert Belknap, the board's medical officer, told members the CDC cited other countries' recommendations rather than presenting new data, and that differences in health systems make such comparisons weak. He warned that “misinformation around vaccines will impact vaccination rates.” The minutes record that Colorado will continue to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance rather than the CDC’s newly published schedule.
Public Health Director Jason Vahling said Broomfield public health is developing a communications plan and will release a statement saying it does not agree with the CDC changes and will continue to support the previous schedule. The plan will use the health department's usual channels and targeted outreach to health-care partners; the board signaled support for issuing the statement.
Board Member Erin Seedorf raised whether nontraditional partners should be part of outreach; Vahling identified Health Ambassadors as a key trusted source for community messaging and noted that universities are referring media inquiries back to health departments.
The board took no formal regulatory action at the meeting; next steps recorded in the minutes are the development and dissemination of the communications plan and the statement in support of vaccinations.
