On October 20 at 12:20 p.m., the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted unanimously to add the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 shots to the Vaccination Immunization Compensation Program (VICP).
By adding the vaccines to the VICP, both Pfizer and Moderna will be shielded from liability lawsuits permanently.
The COVID vaccine will be treated much like the MMR and Polio vaccines, where liability will be passed on to the federal government per the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986.
The Department of Justice suggested that “a significant, positive result of [VICP] is that costly litigation against drug manufacturers and health care professionals who administer vaccines has virtually ceased.”
The safety of both Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines has been questioned by some, including the Florida State Surgeon General, who recommends against males under the age of 39 taking vaccines due to the increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The CDC has admitted that there have been cases of myocarditis and pericarditis in adolescents and young adult males but nonetheless recommends that every person beyond the age of six months get the vaccine.
“We know that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks, including the very small risk of myocarditis and pericarditis,” claimed Dr. Sara Oliver, an epidemic intelligence service officer of the CDC during an October 19 meeting.
The decision to add Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID vaccines to the childhood schedule comes a day after the unanimous (15-0) decision to add the mRNA shot to the Vaccine for Children (VFC) program, which mandates that physicians administer the shot regardless of insurance status.
According to the CDC, 30 million children have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Furthermore, they claim that covering the vaccine will increase access to all children regardless of household income.
“Many children have not initiated a COVID-19 vaccine primary series, so we have continued work to do so all eligible children are able to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Oliver.
Critics, such as investigative journalist Jordan Schachtel, argue that adding the shots to the childhood schedule will “act as another windfall” for both Pfizer and Moderna. In 2021 alone, Pfizer earned $36 billion from their COVID-19 shot.
Paul Offit, a pro-vaccine expert and FDA Advisory Committee member, has shown skepticism about the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“It’s not only that we don’t have clinical data… we don’t have immune data in people,” he told NBC 10. “Right now, they are saying we should trust mouse data, and I don’t think that should ever be true. I don’t think you should ever ask tens of billions of people to get a vaccine based on mice data.”
However, the shot’s inclusion into the vaccination schedule does not necessarily mean a school mandate. As of now, it is up to the state to decide whether either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine will be required for schoolchildren to attend public school.
For Texas residents, school vaccinations may not be required as in October 2021, Governor Gregg Abbott banned vaccine mandates by both private businesses and schools.
After the vote, the CDC recommends physicians administer both doses of the vaccine three times: first between ages six months and four years old, next between ages five and 11, and finally between ages 12 and 18.
The CDC opened its decision to public comment and was met with over 31,000 responses, many of which were critical.
“I strongly oppose adding a COVID-19 vaccine requirement to the childhood schedule of immunizations. This product needs extensive randomized control testing in a large sample of children with follow-up for at least five years like other childhood vaccines,” wrote Jeanne Treat in response to the CDC live feed.
The Dallas Express reached out to Immunization Partnership, who declined to comment on the decision.
Jackie Schlegel, executive director of Texans for Medical Freedom, told The Dallas Express, “It’s no surprise that both Joe Biden and Anthony Fauci continue an assault on our medical freedoms. Their tactics of manipulation and coercion are masked as ‘safety’ for kids. In actuality, it further sentences your constitutional rights to death.”