Former FDA commissioner says COVID-19 vaccine included in childhood immunization schedule is 'inevitable'
- Former FDA Commissioner says COVID-19 vaccine in childhood immunization schedule is "inevitable."
- During an interview on "Face the Nation," Dr. Scott Gottlieb predicted that more states will have their own vaccine mandates.
- His comments come after California Gov. Gavin Newsom mandated vaccines for eligible school children.
Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said he thinks it's "inevitable that the COVID-19 vaccine is going to be incorporated into the childhood immunization schedule" in an interview on CBS's "Face The Nation" Sunday.
As Insider reported, the FDA could authorize the vaccine for younger children aged 5 to 11 by the holidays. In late August, the agency greenlit the doses for people 16 and older, and still available under emergency use authorization for kids 12 to 15, according to the FDA website.
"You're going to see other states and local districts moving forward with their own mandates," Gottlieb added. "And I think the right locus for decision-making around these mandates is at the local level. So, you're going to see other states like California taking this up."
Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a mandate requiring students to receive the shots adding to a "well-established list that currently includes 10 vaccinations." Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical advisor, said he agrees with Newsom's decision.
However, other officials, for example, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, oppose implementing vaccine mandates.
During the interview, moderator Margaret Brennan asked Gottlieb about his concerns regarding the politicization of vaccines.
"I do worry about the consequences of the moment we're in. The fact that now vaccination is something that's dividing us culturally and politically...I think that's going to have broader implications than just around COVID. I worry that going forward, we're going to see vaccination rates decline as this becomes more of a political football," he said.