(CNN)The Tennessee Department of Health is halting all adolescent vaccine outreach, even for vaccines not related to Covid-19, according to internal documents.
The halt impacts all outreach to adolescents, including Covid-19 second-dose reminders, HPV reminders and kindergarten vaccination surveys, according the documents circulated within the department obtained by CNN and first reported by The Tennessean.
The department of health did not respond to CNN inquiries on whether outreach and vaccination practices on Covid -19 or other vaccinations had changed.
The move comes amid a brewing controversy in the state, which is lagging in vaccinations against Covid-19, over parental consent for vaccinations.
Dr. Michelle Fiscus, who says she was fired as the state's medical director of the vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization after an argument over vaccinating children against coronavirus, told CNN she and other health officials have been under pressure as Covid-19 vaccinations have become increasingly politicized.
She saw that scrutiny come to a head when she shared a memo that laid out a state policy, which allows minors ages 14-17 receive medical care without parental consent.
