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() Following a heated Senate hearing where Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was grilled by Republicans and Democrats alike, Dr. Jessica Knurick believes the CDC is “restricting access” to vaccines.
Kennedy’s appearance comes just a week after the Food and Drug Administration restricted access to the COVID-19 vaccine a decision that sparked the removal of newly appointed CDC Director Susan Monarez, the resignations of four senior officials and public backlash.
In May, Kennedy announced COVID-19 vaccines would no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, a move opposed by medical and public health groups.
During Thursday’s hearing, Kennedy cast doubt on statistics about how people died during the pandemic and on estimates about how many deaths were averted.
“That leaves a lot of people who are no longer going to be covered by insurance, and if they’re no longer covered by insurance, they’re not going to have access to their vaccines when they go to their pharmacy,” Knurick told “CUOMO.”
“And so I think that that’s kind of like a, you know, it’s just a loophole in terms of how they’re explaining it, it’s removing access from people,” she contended.
Dr. Drew Pinsky argued that only “affects a sliver of people.”
He added that “Medicare still covers it, Medi-Cal still covers” the COVID-19 vaccine. Pinsky added that, “It makes no sense” for recommendations for anyone younger than 65 to receive the vaccine or booster.
“You can appeal to the insurance company, and if your physician is motivated, he or she can get that coverage. The vaccine is available.
“We’re talking about the health care system, nobody, and I mean, nobody, is talking about taking options away from physicians. What is available to us is literally anything we wish to use on behalf of the patient, including any and all available vaccines.”