Protecting Newborns From Hepatitis B, Other Issues With Vaccine Recommendation Updates: Rep. AOC

Protecting Newborns From Hepatitis B, Other Vaccines; Distributing Fresh Groceries; Asylum Seeker Rights: Rep. AOC

Editor’s note: Earlier this year, the NYC Department of Health hosted a roundtable on the availaility and recommended groups for the Covid-19 and Flu vaccines for this cold and flu season. 

Protecting Newborns From Hepatitis B

To our NY-14 community,

It is vital that the Trump Administration uphold critical public health measures that assure the protection of all infants – and not be guided by misinformation and uninformed skepticism. In today’s newsletter, the Office of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez would like to update you on recent movements against safe vaccine practices that put our community at risk.

Below are details on the hepatitis B vaccine and how changing federal recommendations may impact you and your families.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a highly infectious, incurable virus that attacks the liver and can cause chronic infection, liver damage, and liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and billions of doses have been administered worldwide with no serious, long-term safety concerns. Since the universal newborn vaccination was adopted in 1991, hepatitis B infections in U.S. children and adolescents have fallen by 99%.

Trump’s Attacks on Safe Immunization Practices

A federal vaccine advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) selected by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) – is scheduled to discuss and vote on changing the CDC’s recommendations around the hepatitis B vaccine, potentially limiting children’s access.

The vote comes after Secretary Kennedy fired all 17 members of the panel in June and replaced them with members more aligned with his own, skeptical views of vaccines. Most recently, the panel discussed changing the current recommendations for administering the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns. Today, they will vote on whether or not newborns should continue to receive the hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth, regardless of the mother’s infection status.

ACIP’s recommendations are incredibly influential. The Vaccines for Children Program, which provides free vaccines for half of the U.S.’s children, covers the vaccines ACIP recommends and the CDC subsequently approves. Additionally, most private insurers must cover the vaccines ACIP endorses to the CDC, and many state vaccination policies are directly linked to its guidelines.

What Would Recommendation Rollbacks Mean?

Newborn vaccination is the cornerstone of U.S. hepatitis B prevention. For 34 years, the CDC has recommended that all newborns get a first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. If the panel’s recommendation were to rollback newborn vaccinations, it would:

• Increase unprotected newborns, leading to more than 1,000 babies becoming infected each year
• Set back decades of progress eliminating hepatitis B
• Cause increased rates of liver disease, liver damage, liver cancer, and unnecessary deaths
• Undermine science-based public health decision-making

For over 30 years, the birth dose has reduced infections in children under 19 by 99%, preventing an estimated 500,000 childhood infections and more than 90,000 related deaths.

Making Informed Decisions

Consult with a medical professional

Expectant parents with questions should talk to their doctor about the vaccine. To protect as many people as possible, infants get the hepatitis B vaccine immediately, before leaving the hospital, because the virus can be passed from an infected mother to the baby during birth and the vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection.

Even if a pregnant person has tested negative for hepatitis B, it is still critical to give the baby the birth dose because the virus can easily spread from surface contact. There is the possibility of receiving a false negative test result when screened, and some pregnant people become infected later in pregnancy – after being tested. Further, many adults may be unaware that they have the virus and transmit it to an infant after birth. Babies who receive the full vaccine series starting from birth have their chance of liver cancer reduced by 84%. If fewer people get vaccinated, hepatitis B will circulate at higher rates in American communities and the risk of contracting the virus will rise for everyone who does not receive the vaccine.

 

The heart of our work lies in the vibrant communities of NY-14. See below for ways our office is helping constituents navigate federal agencies and bring resources back to the district.

Distributing Fresh Groceries in the District

 

Two weeks ago, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez joined the Throggs Neck Community Alliance and GrowNYC for a food distribution in Throggs Neck. The fresh produce was sourced directly from regional farmers, like the Halal Pastures Farm in Rock Tavern, and distributed from GrowNYC’s Regional Food Hub to community members for free. Over 350 community members attended and 1,500 pounds of fresh produce, halal turkeys, and chicken were distributed. We are proud to have secured $1,000,000 in Community Project Funding towards the establishment of GrowNYC’s Regional Food Hub, which is now strengthening food access across NY-14 and beyond.

Highlighting Potential Economic Threat of AI Bubble

This month, the Congresswoman highlighted the psychological and economic dangers of Artificial Intelligence during a hearing in the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

 

 

 

Urging FEMA to Integrate Rooftop Solar in Puerto Rico’s Grid Rebuild

In November, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez led a letter urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to comply with a landmark federal court ruling requiring the agency to fully evaluate rooftop solar, battery storage, and other distributed renewable options when rebuilding Puerto Rico’s electric grid.

Urging the Trump Administration to Fund November SNAP Benefits

Last month, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez led members of New York’s congressional delegation in writing to President Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins urging them to ensure that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in New York state, and across the nation, receive their November benefits without delay.

SNAP benefits were reinstated following the reopening of the federal government, but many are now set to permanently lose them. The Republican funding bill cuts food assistance like SNAP and may lead to a decrease in your benefits.

If you have questions about how your food benefits may be impacted, go to New York City’s Department of Social Services website.

 

Pausing All Asylum Applications

Last week, President Trump decided to pause all asylum decisions for applicants attempting to seek safety and refuge in the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Information Services (USCIS) will also place a hold on pending applications filed by nationals of the 19 countries subject to the existing travel ban. For the latest updates, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Information Services website.

If you have any questions related to your immigration status, you can contact the New York State Office for New Americans Hotline to request a legal consultation at (800)-566-7636.

 

 

Banner Image: Throggs Neck Community Alliance and GrowNYC were joined by Rep. AOC for a food distribution in Throggs Neck. Image Credit – Rep. AOC