A House bill unanimously passed out of a committee yesterday (Thursday) will enable Kentucky pharmacies to continue vaccinating children ages 5-17 with parental or guardian consent.
The Kentucky Lantern reports that during the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s vaccination rates decreased and the federal government asked pharmacies to help fill the gap.
House Bill 274’s sponsor, Republican Representative and pharmacist Danny Bently of Greenup County, says that more people live closer to a pharmacy than a primary care physician, and having the option to be vaccinated at a pharmacy could help prevent a “public health crisis,” especially in counties without pediatricians. The bill will codify the ability for pharmacists to give necessary vaccinations to children.
According to a 2022 report released by the Kentucky Primary Care Association, 94 percent of the state's 120 counties do not have primary care providers.
