SR0136 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0136 LRB103 31458 MST 59199 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Respiratory Syncytial Virus disease (RSV) is a highly transmissible, seasonal virus that can have severe and unpredictable outcomes for infants, including hospitalization; and

WHEREAS, Nearly all children will be infected with RSV by age two, and most infants requiring hospitalization were previously healthy and born at term; and

WHEREAS, RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants in the U.S.; and

WHEREAS, RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than one year of age in the U.S.; and

WHEREAS, The current RSV season has resulted in significant morbidity and increased mortality; and

WHEREAS, In the U.S., RSV infections typically occur during late fall, winter, and early spring, which means urgent preparation is needed; and

WHEREAS, Monoclonal antibodies show promise in preventative protection against RSV; and

WHEREAS, RSV disproportionally affects infants with Medicaid coverage, Native Americans, and Alaskan Natives; and

WHEREAS, The Vaccines For Children (VFC) program is a federally-funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay; and

WHEREAS, VFC coverage is critical to ensure equity and access for all infants in order to have the greatest impact on disease burden; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to include new RSV immunization technologies (including vaccines and monoclonal antibodies), within the federal VFC program if the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues administrative recommendations that are subsequently approved by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Rochelle Walensky, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.