State public health director outlines vaccine guidance, access and school requirements

Ian Won, director of the Division of Public Health, told the oversight committee the division “is committed to maintaining access to safe and effective vaccination for New Hampshire residents and families.”

Won reviewed a September guidance to providers aimed at respiratory virus season and described federal CDC changes that affected recommendations for combined MMRV use: the CDC no longer recommends the combined MMRV vaccine for the first dose in children under 4, though the combined vaccine remains recommended for the second dose. Won said roughly 15% of children previously received the combined MMRV for the first dose and that the state will continue to monitor federal developments and review evidence-based guidance.

Context: Won noted the state’s universal purchase program provides free vaccines to children whose families seek them and that the Division prioritizes vulnerable groups including seniors, pregnant people and immunocompromised residents. He also told the committee that New Hampshire has nine vaccines mandated for schoolchildren and 10 for child care with statutorily allowable exemptions; the respiratory-virus guidance issued in September is not a mandate.

Funding and logistics: Representative Woods asked whether state mandates affect vaccine availability; Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilley said funding through partnerships with commercial insurers and the federal Vaccines for Children program remain central and are intact 'for the moment.'

What’s next: the Division said it will continue to consult with the state epidemiologist and update providers as federal guidance and evidence evolve.