Connecticut, along with six neighboring states and New York City, announced on Thursday the establishment of the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, a coalition that will "promote and protect evidence-based public health" by collaborating on issues like vaccine recommendations and infectious disease management.
The partnership marks the latest move by states to take charge of public health at the state and regional level in the face of uncertainty over federal public health policy under the leadership of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
"In a time of significant change in public health, we have benefited from the enhanced collaborations between our jurisdictions. We are confident that we will preserve and protect core public health principles and services as we navigate current changes together," Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani stated in a Thursday announcement.
The coalition comprises Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and New York City. Four western states -- California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii -- formed the West Coast Health Alliance, a similar partnership, earlier this month.
Last week, Gov. Ned Lamont issued a slew of executive actions seeking to protect COVID-19 vaccine access in Connecticut amid recent federal changes that are causing confusion over who's eligible for shots, where people can get them and how much they're going to cost.
Despite updated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that limited approval of updated boosters to people 65 and older, as well as those with underlying health conditions, the Connecticut Department of Public Health issued guidance encouraging children 6 months and older, as well as adults of all ages, to get vaccinated.
The state's Department of Consumer Protection also issued guidance that sought to facilitate access to the boosters at local pharmacies, and a bulletin from the Connecticut Insurance Department guaranteed coverage of the shots for certain residents.
"As uncertainty in Washington continues, our administration is doing everything we can to ensure the residents of Connecticut have access to the health care they need to stay safe," Lamont stated in a press release last week announcing the state-specific COVID-19 vaccine guidance.
The work of the Northeast Public Health Collaborative is already underway. The group held its first informal in-person meeting in August and has already formed working groups to address several high-priority issues, including public health emergency preparedness, vaccine recommendations and purchasing, and data collection and analysis.