Dr. Fiona Havers, the head of the CDC team responsible for Covid and RSV hospitalization data collection, resigned citing concerns about the objectivity and scientific rigor in using the data for vaccine policy decisions. Her resignation came before a meeting of a new vaccine panel led by Robert Kennedy Jr, who had recently dismissed the entire CDC independent vaccine advisory panel and retracted recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women to receive the Covid vaccine. Kennedy’s actions, influenced by his skepticism towards vaccines, led to the replacement of the advisory board with his own selected members, some of whom have expressed reservations about Covid shots and vaccines in general.

Dr. Havers’ team’s data had been utilized in numerous peer-reviewed studies and CDC reports. The newly formed vaccine panel, the advisory committee on immunization practices, is set to convene in June to discuss Covid-19 boosters and other vaccine usage in the US. Despite the upheaval, a Health and Human Services spokesperson assured a commitment to “gold standard science” and emphasized that vaccine policies will be grounded in objective data, transparent analysis, and evidence-based decision-making.

The developments underscore the ongoing debates and challenges surrounding vaccine policy-making and the influence of personal beliefs on public health decisions. Dr. Havers’ resignation highlights the importance of maintaining scientific integrity and objectivity in utilizing data for crucial public health decisions.