Governors from California, Washington, and Oregon collaborate to establish a health alliance in direct opposition to the Trump administration's health policies

In the tumultuous early months of the coronavirus pandemic, states across the nation began forming regional alliances to bolster their buying power for personal protective equipment and coordinate the reopening of their economies.

One such alliance was forged by the Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon, and California, who announced the West Coast Alliance for securing health policies. The states belonging to this alliance are, as one might expect, Washington, Oregon, and California.

This isn't the first time Democratic-led states have banded together to coordinate policies related to public health. Governors in the Northeast and West Coast – all but one of them Democrats – announced separate regional groups in 2020 in response to President Trump's statement about reopening the states.

The West Coast Alliance plans to coordinate health guidelines by aligning immunization plans based on recommendations from respected national medical organizations. Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's health department is seeking advice from medical experts and its own Immunization Advisory Committee on COVID-19 vaccines and other immunizations for the fall respiratory season.

Public health officials from eight Northeast states met in Rhode Island last month to discuss coordinating vaccine recommendations. The partnership aims to provide citizens with specific guidance on vaccination and protection by the end of September.

However, concerns about staffing and budget cuts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been heightened. The White House sought to oust the agency's director, and some top CDC leaders resigned in protest. These events have led to accusations that the Trump administration is politicizing the CDC.

In response, a bipartisan coalition led by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is coordinating vaccine recommendations, including states from the Northeast and West Coast. The New Mexico Department of Health plans to remove barriers and allow access to COVID vaccines at pharmacies across the state, with a commitment to keeping residents safe during the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season.

Florida, on the other hand, has announced plans to phase out all childhood vaccine mandates, a move that has sparked debate and concern among public health officials. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an influential figure in the anti-vaccine movement, has restructured and downsized the CDC, further fuelling concerns about the agency's ability to effectively combat future public health crises.

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, these coordinated efforts among states serve as a testament to the importance of collaboration in addressing public health challenges. The AP reports that public health agencies across the country are taking steps to ensure their states have access to vaccines after U.S. regulators came out with new policies that limited access to COVID-19 shots. It remains to be seen how these efforts will evolve in the coming months and years, but one thing is certain: the need for cooperation in public health policy will only grow more pressing.