Senator Bill Cassidy: Gullible Much?
By Me.MD
Senator Cassidy cast a deciding vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) to become Secretary of Health and Human Services. Even though RFK has spread anti-vaccine misinformation across the internet for years, he promised, PROMISED, Senator Cassidy that he wouldn’t change existing vaccine recommendations.
Shared by our friends at Indivisible East Bay. https://indivisibleeb.org/
Take a look at how that played out ….
COVID, anyone?
At a recent senate hearing, RFK indicated he did not know how many people had died of COVID-19. Huh? Maybe he just missed the memo?
As of June 1, 2024, nearly 1.2 million people had died of COVID-19 in the U.S. (http://cdc.gov/covid/about/index.html).
Then vaccines saved the day! Yes! We could go out again; go back to work again; go back to school again! See friends again!
Initially all children and adults were all eligible to receive one or two shots (depending on the manufacturer) to prevent serious illness. (Mild illness could still develop, but people would stop dying!). Sadly, immunity from the shots wore off over time, not to mention the virus’s tendency to constantly change, so booster shots every 6 months or so were needed.
And there’s the rub.
On January 1, 2025, CDC booster vaccine guidance was:
- Everyone aged 6 months or older (who had no contraindications) should get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
- Adults over 65 and immunocompromised individuals should get a second dose of the updated vaccine if their first dose was more than 6 months earlier.
- Vaccination was also recommended for pregnant people, those who are breastfeeding, and those trying to become pregnant. The guidance explicitly included them in the “everyone 6 months and older”
Then Mr. Kennedy, Secretary of Health and Human Services, who had PROMISED, Senator Cassidy that he wouldn’t change existing vaccine recommendations got into action.
On May 27, 2025:
- Mr. Kennedy announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.
On August 27, 2025:
- Updated (2025) Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax boosters were approved by the FDA for adults over 65 years of age, but NOT for healthy children and adults ages 6 months to 64 years unless they have at least one underlying condition putting them at high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19.
- Regardless of FDA approval, federal vaccine recommendations are made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that makes recommendations to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) which then provides the federal immunization administration protocol that governs eligibility for different vaccines. The ACIP met on September 18-19. Since all members of the committee were new to the process, the meeting itself was mired in confusion but, ultimately, it recommended “shared decision making” regarding COVID boosters for healthy children and adults (ages 6 months to 65 years).
What is Shared Decision Making? From the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website: “shared clinical decision-making recommendations are individually based and informed by a decision process between the health care provider and the patient or parent/guardian.” CDC identifies a “healthcare provider” as, “anyone who provides or administers vaccines: primary care physicians, specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and pharmacists.” So, effectively – and assuming the CDC accepts ACIP’s recommendation – healthy adults (and parents of healthy children) can discuss the matter with their doctor or pharmacist and then decide whether or not to proceed with obtaining a booster shot.
One more thing: Vaccines have traditionally been covered by medical insurance (including Medicare and Medicaid) based on CDC recommendations. So, again assuming the CDC accepts ACIP’s recommendation, the shot should then be covered by insurance. CDC needs to weigh in. No recommendation: no coverage.
- What have we heard from CDC? Crickets.
NOW WHAT?
Under the January 1, 2025 protocol and under Louisiana state law, any adult could walk into a local pharmacy and get a free vaccine.
Now: maybe?
We are still waiting for the CDC to either approve the ACIP recommendation or offer some different approach to 2025-26 COVID-19 boosters. In the meanwhile, it seems likely that Louisiana residents may be able to get their shots (covered by insurance) before the fall flu and COVID seasons starts. Fingers crossed.
AND WHAT IF?
If CDC rejects the recommendation from ACIP, then healthy folks (children and adults) may wind up having to pay for COVID boosters. An internet search of prices for COVID-19 2025-26 booster shots ranged from $89 (Costco) to $130 (Albertsons/Sav-On). Vaccination for a healthy family of 4 will run from $356 to $520. Groceries, anyone?
SO WHO WOULD GET HURT?
- First all, low-income families. The high out of pocket cost may lead some people to delay or skip vaccination altogether.
- Second of all: Everyone.
SCIENCE LESSON: Herd Immunity
Herd immunity develops when enough people have achieved immunity (protection) against a virus to make it difficult for the infection to spread. That way, even people without immunity (unvaccinated, immunocompromised, very young, some elderly) are relatively protected. Neighbors help neighbors through being vaccinated.
My child has leukemia and can’t get the shot? Does he have to stay home from school?
Public health officials estimate that 85% of the population needs to have developed immunity in order to effectively prevent spread of COVID. Vaccination (rather than illness) is still the safest way to develop and maintain immunity. If people don’t get the shots, fewer people in the overall population will ultimately be vaccinated (and develop immunity) against COVID-19 and, increasingly, the disease will spread.
Does anyone REMEMBER what that was like? As of June 1, 2024, nearly 1.2 million people had died of COVID-19 in the U.S. Does ANYONE want to do it again?
Senator Cassidy, did you REALLY mean this?
LESSONS LEARNED
In order to protect the community we need everyone who can possibly be vaccinated to take the shots.
“My body, my choice,” is rather like insisting that I can run through an intersection whenever I damn well please because red lights are nothing but a form of communist coercion. It’s my truck and I can drive it however I want! And my truck is bigger than your sedan so, if I run right through you then that’s your look-out! Go buy a truck next time!
Do we really want to live in that world?
BACK TO LOUISIANA
As of 9/13/25, there are a few options for people who want COVID boosters:
- It remains uncertain, but likely, that people who want COVID boosters will be able to get them at their pharmacy.
- Healthcare Providers: Primary care physicians can provide vaccines in their offices.
- The Louisiana Department of Health operates Parish Health Units throughout the state where qualified residents can get free vaccines. People can make appointments, but they also take walk-ins. (https://ldh.la.gov/directory/category/482?pn=1)
- Federally Qualified Health Centers: FQHCs offer free vaccines for qualified people through various federal programs. (https://ldh.la.gov/directory)