CDC Shifts COVID Guidance to Shared Decision-Making

The CDC updated its adult and childhood immunization schedules, adopting recommendations from a new advisory panel appointed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The agency shifted COVID-19 guidance away from a universal recommendation and toward shared, individual decision-making between patients and clinicians, while noting clinicians should especially consider vaccination or boosters for older adults and other high-risk people. Acting CDC director Jim O’Neill signed off and said, “Informed consent is back.” The agency also advised giving toddlers the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine separately rather than as the combined MMRV shot after data showed an increased risk of febrile seizures with the combination. The changes have drawn criticism from public health experts and major medical societies, and officials say additional COVID-19 vaccine shipments are being routed to providers and federally funded clinics to help vulnerable and underserved populations even as questions about inventory and insurance coverage (including MMRV) persist.