CDC Removes COVID Vaccine Recommendation for Healthy Children, Pregnant Women

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has announced that COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, marking a significant shift in federal health policy. Kennedy cited a lack of clinical data supporting continued vaccination for these groups, a position supported by FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who emphasized that most countries have stopped recommending COVID vaccines for healthy children. This change follows a Senate subcommittee hearing that alleged federal health agencies and the pharmaceutical industry concealed adverse events related to mRNA vaccines. The decision has raised concerns from officials like Hawaii Governor Josh Green about reduced vaccine access and potential insurance coverage issues. Pediatricians have expressed worries about growing vaccine hesitancy extending beyond COVID vaccines to other routine immunizations. The CDC's official immunization schedule has not yet been updated, and the definition of "healthy" has not been clarified, with the policy change preceding a CDC advisory panel meeting intended to discuss fall booster recommendations.