1049: Vaccines and Screening: Need-to-Know for State Preparedness

JOHN SHEEHAN: 

This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, January 8, 2026. I'm John Sheehan, with news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

Today, we continue our Legislative Prospectus Series examining public health policy trends going into 2026 with Meredith Allen, vice president for health safety at ASTHO. She'll discuss the critical role immunizations play in preventing the spread of disease and protecting communities nationwide, and how the recent vote by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices may affect providers, patients, and states, particularly around hepatitis B guidance.

MEREDITH ALLEN: 

States are going to continue to work with providers to ensure that they have the most recent and updated information, and it's really important for patients and parents of patients to have conversations with their providers.

Meredith will also break down why expanded syphilis screening laws are gaining momentum across states, and how early detection, especially during pregnancy, can prevent severe outcomes like congenital syphilis.

Meredith Allen, welcome to the show.

ALLEN: 

Thank you so much for having me.

SHEEHAN: 

So, Meredith, what role do immunizations play in preventing the spread of illness?

ALLEN: 

Let me start by saying the science behind vaccines is robust and very well-tested. Vaccines work by training the body's immune system to recognize and fight off viruses or bacteria without suffering the harmful effects of the actual disease. Global immunization efforts have saved over 100 million lives over the past 50 years, and vaccines are our best defense against polio, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B, certain types of meningitis, and many more diseases. Vaccination is a fundamental responsibility we all share to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from these serious diseases. Declines in vaccination rates endanger all American families, including our children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems, even healthy adults. Increasing access to these life-saving vaccines make our communities healthier every day.

SHEEHAN: 

Yeah, unfortunately, this is kind of an important sticking point right now, given the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' recent vote. Can we, can we just sort of clarify the potential risks of softening that guidance and, and how, how are you seeing states respond?

ALLEN: 

Thanks for that question. It's a really timely, timely question. The discussion and coverage of these meetings, especially this most recent ACIP meeting, can generate a lot of provider and public confusion. I think the most important thing to remember is that under the new hepatitis B recommendations from ACIP is, if they are adopted by CDC, is that providers can continue to recommend the birth dose vaccination, and insurance will still cover it. States are going to continue to work with providers to ensure that they have the most recent and updated information. And it's really important for patients and parents of patients to have conversations with their providers. This is the best way to ensure that their questions are answered and any concerns they have are addressed.

SHEEHAN: 

Is that message being repeated in your experience around the country?

ALLEN: 

Yes, I think you know, making sure that we're really looking at that patient-provider relationship as the key is really important, and having those discussions with your provider really does give you that not only individualized reassurance, but also for your community as well.

SHEEHAN: 

And in the last year, at least six states have enacted legislation requiring expanded screenings for syphilis. Looking ahead, why is it important?

ALLEN: 

Sure. Syphilis often presents with very few signs or symptoms, so people often do not know that they're infected. Screening patients is important to identify cases, especially in pregnant women. Increasing these screening requirements, such as in this new legislation, allows for the timely treatment of syphilis in pregnancy, which can prevent cases of congenital syphilis in babies. Congenital syphilis causes major health impacts in babies, and how a baby's health is impacted really does depend on how long the mother was infected with syphilis and if or when they were treated. Many providers have been unaware of syphilis as this growing public health issue, and this new legislation really does provide an opportunity to educate providers and expand the types of providers who are mandated or encouraged to test pregnant women.

SHEEHAN: 

Yeah, and for something, as you say, that doesn't present symptoms, or at least presents subtle symptoms, it seems like a really positive step to, to increase and to support those screenings. Are there additional measures like that that you, you'd like to see health departments adopt in the future?

ALLEN: 

Sure, sure it's really important. You know, going back to our earlier discussion, that we maintain immunization rates around the country, as we're seeing with measles now, pockets of unimmunized people often lead to an increase in disease and additional disease spread. Predictable and sustainable funding for public health is key in sustaining the state, state health departments' abilities to identify and contain infectious diseases. Approximately 80% of CDC funding does go out to states and territories. So, continued funding for major programs such as ELC and FEP are really important at the state-level. Additionally, you'll see some, some references to data systems and being able to ensure that states have accurate and timely data to be able to really know what's going on within their own state and communities, and for states to be able to support that timely outbreak response and complete disease and case investigation, it's really important to have modernized data systems and data sharing agreements in place. And so, this, this is another thing that we're looking at for, for states to be able to utilize full integration of these data systems. Allows states to really utilize new technologies as well, and things that we're seeing with wastewater surveillance and being able to detect disease that way as well.

SHEEHAN: 

Yeah, the combination of supporting that preventative care and preventative policy and being able to measure what you're, what you're dealing with.

ALLEN: 

Absolutely.

SHEEHAN: 

Meredith Allen, thanks so much.

ALLEN: 

Thank you for having me today. It was great talking with you.

SHEEHAN: 

Meredith Allen is vice president for health security at ASTHO.

Join Manisha Juthani, MD, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health and ASTHO president, and John Auerbach, MBA, senior vice president for public health, ICF, for a webinar that examines how clear, purposeful leadership strengthens both internal and external trust through insights and reflection. We will examine how leaders embody steadiness amid uncertainty, set a sustainable pace, and provide calm direction that builds trust and drives performance. This conversation aims to inspire participants to recognize their composure and capacity, not as a personal indulgence, but as a fundamental leadership function that shapes the overall tone, focus, and confidence of their organizations.

This has been Public Health Review Morning Edition. I'm John Sheehan for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.