After a delay of almost a month, U.S. states can now place orders for the 2026‑2027 season of COVID‑19 vaccines through the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which supplies free immunizations to low‑income children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Wednesday.
The ordering pause had drawn attention after Ars Technica reported that the CDC had not yet opened procurement for the new COVID‑19 shots, despite the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting approval in late August. The delay prompted questions about possible political interference, with critics pointing to anti‑vaccine statements from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In response, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told Ars Technica that “CDC has not yet finalized procurement decisions” for the vaccines. The agency’s statement suggested that officials within the Trump administration were still debating whether children should receive the shots.
HHS emphasized its commitment to “responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources” and to ensuring that vaccines purchased through federally funded programs are appropriate for the populations those programs serve. The department added that both HHS and the CDC remain focused on aligning vaccine purchases with public‑health needs.
The VFC program, which has historically provided vaccines such as measles, polio and influenza to eligible children, now includes the newly approved COVID‑19 vaccine in its inventory, allowing participating states to distribute the shots to qualifying families once orders are processed.
<small>Source: Ars Technica — read the original story there.</small>
