The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to vaccinate migrants in detention against the flu last winter but it rejected the suggestion.
The recommendations for the CBP to vaccinate the migrants in detention against the flu were written in a letter by CDC Director Robert R. Redfield in a response letter to Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro of Connecticut.
Initially, DeLauro wrote to the CDC on October 4 asking whether it spoke with CBP regarding the child deaths at detention centers and if CBP asked for guidance about vaccination of migrants. She also asked if the CDC spoke with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or the White House about vaccination issues at CBP.
Redfield responded via a letter on November 7, saying that the CDC has been discussing the issue of child deaths with CBP since the beginning of 2018 and that it has provided written recommendations to the Department of Homeland Security in January 2019 and, beginning in late May through July 4. He also said the CDC has weekly discussions with CBP the flu cases in migrant facilities.
There have been at least three children's deaths while in CBP custody during the 2018-2019 flu season. DeLauro said the continued refusal of the CBP to provide flu vaccines was "unconscionable."
She said: "CDC's recommendations are clear: flu vaccines should be administered to people as soon as possible to prevent the spread of this deadly disease."
CBP spokesperson Kelly Cahalan said her agency has never provided immunizations for detained migrants and has no plans to do so. She argued: "CBP has significantly expanded medical support efforts, and now has more than 250 medical personnel engaged along the Southwest border. To try and layer a comprehensive vaccinations system on to that would be logistically very challenging for a number of reasons."
