As flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season approaches, Montgomery County residents will fall under Maryland’s new vaccine recommendations, which the state issued independently of federal guidance. It’s a move health officials at the Maryland Department of Health and Human Services said was necessary after changes at the federal level.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has overseen a series of rollbacks to federal vaccine guidance over the past year. In response, states around the country, in addition to Maryland, have moved to set their own vaccine guidance independent of federal recommendations.
“I fully support the state’s decision to establish independent vaccine guidance, as it ensures our public health recommendations remain firmly rooted in rigorous scientific evidence rather than political interference,” said Dr. Kisha Davis, chief health officer for Montgomery County.
Central to Maryland’s approach is the VaxAct law, which requires state-regulated insurers to cover all state-recommended immunizations at no out-of-pocket cost to residents. The law also permits pharmacists to vaccinate anyone three years of age or older without a prescription.
Davis said wider vaccination reduces strain on emergency rooms and protects vulnerable groups, including infants, older adults and immunocompromised patients such as those undergoing chemotherapy.
“Getting vaccinated is still the best defense against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Last year, we saw record numbers of influenza cases, and we continue to see the highest number of COVID deaths in persons who do not have the latest COVID vaccine,” Davis said.
More than 8,000 residents were hospitalized with lab-confirmed flu during the 2024-2025 flu season, according to Maryland’s health department.
