New Jersey Stands Firm on Hepatitis B Vaccine for Newborns

New Jersey's health department is sticking to its guns. They want all newborns to get the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. This decision comes as a federal panel, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , is thinking about changing the rules. Seven states, including New Jersey, have teamed up. They formed the Northeast Public Health Collaborative this year. Their goal? To create their own vaccine policies. They're worried that federal vaccine policies might change under Kennedy's leadership. Jeff Brown, the acting state health commissioner, spoke up. He said, \"We can shield babies from risks by vaccinating them right after birth. \" He also mentioned that the hepatitis B vaccine has saved millions from chronic liver disease. A federal committee is set to discuss this on December 4th. They delayed a vote in September. They were considering delaying the first vaccine dose for babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a big deal. It can spread from mother to child easily. That's why the first dose is given within 24 hours of birth in the U. S. The CDC has recommended this since 1991. They expanded the recommendation in 2018. Hepatitis B is sneaky. It's called the \"silent infection\" because it often has few symptoms. It can lead to serious liver problems like cirrhosis and cancer. Cases of acute hepatitis B dropped by 99% from 1990 to 2019 among people aged 0 to 19. The coalition includes New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. New York City's Health Department is also part of it. They all agree with the current guidelines. They want children to complete the full three-shot series within 18 months.