Parents should talk to a doctor about COVID shots for kids, CDC says : Shots

The federal government has removed the recommendation that children and pregnant women get routine COVID-19 vaccines.

The change, reflected in new vaccine schedules posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 30, results from a directive announced on May 27 by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a minute-long video posted on X.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that as of today the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” Kennedy said in the video, “We’re now one step closer to realizing President Trump’s promise to make America healthy again.”

The reality of the recommendations is more nuanced.

Previously, the CDC had urged everyone six months and older to get annual, updated COVID shots as a routine recommendation.

Now, the CDC’s vaccine schedule recommends COVID vaccines for children through shared clinical decision-making — that is, if a doctor and a patient decide together that it makes sense. And there’s no recommendation for pregnant women to get COVID vaccines.

“We are relieved to see today that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its schedules for child and adolescent immunizations to allow families to maintain the choice to immunize their children against COVID in consultation with their doctor,” Dr. Susan Kressly, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in an emailed statement.

“However, the deeply flawed process to reach the recommendation raises serious concerns about the stability of the nation’s immunization infrastructure and commitment by federal leaders to make sure families can access critical immunizations, whether for COVID or other infectious diseases,” Kressly said.

Kennedy’s announcement on May 27 blindsided CDC staff, who were not informed of the change to COVID-19 vaccine policy before the decision went public, according to a CDC official who requested anonymity since they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Hours after the post on X, CDC staffers received a directive from Secretary Kennedy — dated May 19, but sent May 27 — rescinding the department’s 2022 acceptance of the CDC’s recommendations for the use of COVID shots in children and during pregnancy. The directive, viewed by NPR, ordered the CDC to remove these recommendations from their vaccine schedules.

The changes contradict the advice of professional medical groups such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics, who continue to recommend COVID vaccines to children and pregnant women based on scientific evidence that shows they are safe and effective. The logos of certain companies that were previously featured on the CDC’s vaccine schedules have been removed from the current versions due to misalignment with updated recommendations.

While children generally have milder cases of COVID-19, young children can still be at risk for serious illness. Pregnant women are also at a heightened risk of complications from the virus, as noted by the American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Public health experts have expressed concern over the lack of transparency in the decision-making process for these changes. Dr. Sean O’Leary, a pediatrics professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, highlighted the importance of open discussions in vaccine policymaking.

The new recommendations may pose challenges for parents seeking vaccinations for their children and for pregnant individuals looking to get vaccinated. Clinicians may find it difficult to engage in thorough discussions about vaccination within the constraints of a brief office visit.

Additionally, changes in insurance coverage and authorization processes could deter individuals from getting vaccinated. Richard Hughes, a healthcare law and policy professor at George Washington University, emphasized the potential impact of these changes on vaccine uptake.

The updated COVID vaccine recommendations coincide with stricter approval requirements for future booster shots. The government’s decision to mandate additional testing for booster approval may limit access to these vaccines for individuals outside of high-risk groups.

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