CDC Ends COVID Vaccine Recommendation for Healthy Kids, Pregnant Women

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced that COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be routinely recommended for healthy children and healthy pregnant women, citing a lack of critical data supporting repeat boosters in these groups. This decision follows similar moves by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restrict COVID-19 vaccine use primarily to elderly and at-risk populations, with new shots for healthy individuals requiring extensive clinical trials for approval. Kennedy and other officials emphasized that this change aligns with scientific reasoning and public health priorities, while noting that most countries have already stopped recommending COVID vaccines for children. Despite this, experts caution that vulnerable populations, including older adults, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women with risk factors, may still benefit from vaccination. The announcement has not yet been officially posted on CDC or other federal websites but was made public through Kennedy’s social media and coordinated statements with NIH and FDA leaders. Kennedy, known for his previous vaccine skepticism, framed the policy shift as fulfilling former President Trump's promise to "Make America Healthy Again."