New Hampshire lawmakers may drop plans to prohibit all vaccine clinics at public schools.
State senators passed legislation Thursday that would allow flu vaccine clinics to continue during the school day and permit clinics during a public health emergency. But funding those clinics may be a hurdle.
Local health agencies stopped holding flu vaccine clinics at schools this year after the state Department of Health and Human Services stopped using federal money to pay for them. The department cited “ongoing changes in federal funding.”
Department spokesperson Jake Leon said in an email Thursday that while the state is no longer funding school-based clinics, it is covering the cost of routine immunizations for people under 19. Those vaccines are available at doctor's offices, urgent care centers, and pharmacies.
Leon said the amended version of the bill provides communities the flexibility to meet local public health needs.
Republican lawmakers first moved to outlaw school vaccine clinics during the pandemic, when schools were hosting COVID vaccine clinics. Republicans are making another attempt this year with similar legislation that would prohibit clinics during the school day and require parents to be present during a vaccination. Currently parents must only give written permission.
Several public health leaders expressed concerns about the bill during a Senate hearing earlier this month. Two officials from the state Department of Health and Human Services said school based clinics are convenient for families and an effective way to respond to a public health emergency.
The House would need to approve the Senate’s changes for the bill to reach the governor.
