Southwest District Health, a regional health department in Idaho, is no longer allowed to provide COVID-19 vaccines to residents in six counties along the Idaho-Oregon border.

During an Oct. 22 meeting, the Health Department's board voted 4-3 to ban the administration of a vaccine that protects against the virus that causes COVID-19.

The number of people receiving COVID-19 vaccines in the health district, which covers three counties in the Boise metropolitan area, has declined from 1,601 vaccinations in 2021 to 64 so far this year.

Idaho Department of Health spokesman AJ McWhorter declined to comment to The Associated Press (AP) about “business with the public health district.” However, McWhorter said COVID-19 vaccines are still available at community health centers for the uninsured.

Arguments about the COVID-19 vaccination ban

Board members who voted for the ban argued that people could get vaccinated against the virus elsewhere and that making COVID-19 vaccines available would amount to an endorsement of their safety.

All COVID-19 vaccines on the market have either been authorized or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Researchers estimated that the COVID-19 vaccines saved nearly 20 million lives in the first year of their distribution. Despite the evidence of the vaccines' safety, there has been skepticism about the vaccines' effectiveness due to widespread misinformation.

Dr. Perry Jansen, Southwest's medical director, testified about the need for the vaccine at the Oct. 22 meeting.

“Our wish to the board is that we can conduct and offer these (vaccines) in recognition of the fact that we are always having these discussions about risks and benefits,” he said. “This is not a blind approach where everyone has a chance. This is a thoughtful approach.”

Meanwhile, there were over 290 public comments at the board meeting opposing Jansen's plea.

CEO “disappointed” with decision

Board President Kelly Aberasturi said in the meeting and to the AP that he supported the board's decision to ban the COVID-19 vaccines but was also “disappointed” by it.

Aberasturi, a COVID-19 vaccine skeptic and national health leader, said the board had transcended the relationship between patients and their doctors. He added that the decision could open the door to blocking other vaccines or treatments.

Jansen and Aberasturi said people who get vaccinated at Southwest District Health have no other choice. The people the health department helped included people without homes, people confined to their homes, people in long-term care facilities and people in the immigration process.

“I've been homeless my whole life, so I understand how difficult it can be when you're … trying to make ends meet and get ahead,” Aberasturi said. “This is where we should intervene and help.

The chairman added: “But we have some board members who have never been there and so don’t understand what it’s like.”

Aberasturi said he plans to ask at the next board meeting whether Southwest District Health could at least allow elderly patients and residents of long-term care facilities to be vaccinated.

Southwest District Health is the first to ban vaccinations

With the panel's decision, the health department appears to be the first in the country to be banned from administering the COVID-19 vaccination.

“I’m not aware of anything like this,” said Adriane Casalotti, director of government and public affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

Casalotti said health authorities stopped offering the COVID-19 vaccine due to cost or low demand, but not based on an “assessment of the medical device itself.”

While Texas has banned health officials from promoting the vaccine and Florida's surgeon general has recommended against vaccination, Southwest District Health's new move appears to be the first outright ban.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.