OLYMPIA, WA – The governors of Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii announced Wednesday that their states will follow unified vaccine guidance through the West Coast Health Alliance for the 2025–26 COVID-19, influenza, and RSV seasons.
“Our states are united in putting science, safety, and transparency first — and in protecting families with clear, credible vaccine guidance,” the governors said in a joint statement.
Washington Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham said vaccines remain the best tool to protect communities, while California Public Health Director Dr. Erica Pan noted the states’ scientific community would “stand together” to provide evidence-based guidance.
The alliance said its recommendations are based on reviews of national medical organizations. Washington’s Department of Health has already issued a standing order recommending COVID-19 vaccination for everyone six months and older.
At the federal level, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. recently replaced the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee, a move critics say could weaken independent oversight. The administration has said the changes are intended to reshape national vaccine policy.
