California, Oregon and Washington plan to join forces to preserve vaccine acce

1 week ago

The Democratic governors of 3 Western states — California, Oregon and Washington — opportunity they will shape a caller nationalist wellness business to sphere entree to vaccines.

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

Now to nan West Coast wherever authorities leaders are taking a different attack to vaccine policy.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The governors of California, Oregon and Washington opportunity they're forming an confederation to antagonistic what they telephone nan politicization of nationalist health.

MARTÍNEZ: Joining maine now is nan Democratic politician of Washington state, Bob Ferguson. So, Governor, why are you and your counterparts successful California and Oregon forming this West Coast Health Alliance?

BOB FERGUSON: Yeah, acknowledgment truthful overmuch for having me. And we're doing it for a really elemental reason, and that is we simply tin nary longer spot what's coming retired of Washington, D.C., and Robert Kennedy Jr. And these endless governmental attacks connected nationalist wellness and mediocre accusation astir nationalist health. And truthful we conscionable decided - nan 3 governors, we decided we conscionable had to return a alteration successful direction, unify together to make judge nan nationalist gets nan accusation they request to support themselves safe and support our communities safe, and truthful they tin make nan correct benignant of decisions for their ain health.

MARTÍNEZ: What was nan tipping constituent for you and nan different governors?

FERGUSON: You know, each politician mightiness person a different reply to that. But for me, I deliberation what I would opportunity is, conscionable successful these past respective days and weeks, nan firing, for example, of cardinal individuals who run, for example, nan CDC. The resignations of cardinal staff, for example, astatine nan CDC. These are profession individuals who want thing much than trust connected science, supply bully accusation to nan public.

That it conscionable became progressively clear to me, pinch those examples and others, that our nationalist wellness accusation coming from Washington, D.C., was becoming politicized. And group were being appointed to important boards who were vaccine skeptics, for example. And so, nary longer is subject nan North Star for decisions coming retired of Washington, D.C. But alternatively there's a different agenda. And I don't deliberation that's nan correct schedule for nan group of my state.

MARTÍNEZ: So show america precisely what nan West Coast Health Alliance intends to do. Does nan confederation scheme to really grow entree to vaccines that are now federally restricted?

FERGUSON: Absolutely. So each state, of course, has to walk different laws for their ain states successful position of really we effectuate this. But, yes, first we want to set together because that gives america economies of scale. We are 3 ample states, and we stock nan aforesaid imagination for nationalist health. So, No. 2, each authorities will, I anticipate, return different individual actions but to execute nan extremity you mentioned.

So for example, successful Washington state, we'll beryllium making judge that pharmacies are required to supply vaccines for definite groups that will beryllium much expansive than nan FDA. We deliberation that's very important. So particularly we're focused connected vaccines, flu shots, measles, COVID, that type of thing. We deliberation nan accusation from Washington, D.C., is conscionable very mediocre correct now, to put it mildly. And that by banding together, we tin stock amended accusation and besides make improvements to our authorities laws to make judge that our residents person entree to nan champion wellness care.

MARTÍNEZ: So conscionable to beryllium clear, nan Food and Drug Administration has now constricted support for nan shots to adults 65 and older aliases those who are precocious consequence for terrible disease. So are you saying that nan authorities of Washington will wholly spell against that recommendation?

FERGUSON: Yes, that's precisely right. And to springiness you a circumstantial example, successful Washington state, you know, we fundamentally make our decisions based connected this, what's called ACIP - nan Advisory Committee connected Immunization Practices. When they make recommendations, we travel those for really pharmacies and others, security companies, believe present successful Washington state. We will beryllium disconnecting from that and creating our ain guidelines for doctors, for pharmacists, for security companies. So, yes, we're going to spell our ain way. And we're going to disconnect from what's happening successful Washington, D.C., because it is truthful politicized and it's not bully for nationalist health.

MARTÍNEZ: Now, you're forming this confederation of immoderate Republican-led states who are trying to standard backmost connected vaccine requirements.

FERGUSON: Yeah.

MARTÍNEZ: Florida, for example, whose surgeon wide announced Wednesday that nan authorities plans to extremity each vaccine mandates, including for schoolhouse children. Governor, that argumentation has not been put successful spot yet. But do efforts for illustration that undermine what you and nan different governors are trying to do connected nan West Coast?

FERGUSON: I conjecture what I would opportunity is it conscionable makes maine sad for kids successful Florida - right? - that we person this now balkanization successful different states successful position of, successful this instance, kids getting nan correct benignant of shots that they request to support themselves safe. I can't do thing astir what's going connected successful Florida. What I tin do is do everything I tin to make judge that nan group of my state, successful Washington state, person nan correct benignant of information. They person meticulous information, it's scientifically based, and we arsenic a authorities person policies that guideline security companies and doctors and pharmacies astir that. That we prosecute successful champion practices for nan champion wellness outcomes for nan group of our state. That's what I tin control, and that's what I'm focused on.

MARTÍNEZ: Right. That's nan Democratic politician of nan authorities of Washington, Bob Ferguson. Governor, thanks.

FERGUSON: Hey, convey you truthful much. I really admit it.

MARTÍNEZ: In a connection to NPR, nan Department of Health and Human Services said pandemic policies of Democratic-run states eroded nan American people's spot successful nationalist wellness agencies. HHS said it will guarantee argumentation is based connected rigorous grounds and, quote, "gold modular science." We extended invitations to nan politician and surgeon wide of Florida. They person not responded to our request.

(SOUNDBITE OF CANNIBAL OX AND MF DOOM SONG, "IRON ROSE (SKYLAB 3 REMIX)")

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