What you need to know
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its recommendations for several routine childhood vaccines, including those that protect against the flu, hepatitis B, rotavirus, and meningococcal disease. The agency now recommends those and some other vaccines mainly for high-risk children or after a discussion with a health care provider.
- The change was not based on any new safety data, and major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, continue to recommend all routine childhood vaccines for all children.
- Parents can still follow the AAP’s childhood vaccine schedule, and all vaccines should continue to be covered by insurance.
On January 5, the CDC announced changes to its childhood vaccine recommendations, shifting several routine vaccines away from universal use for all children. Under the updated guidance, several vaccines, such as those that protect against the flu, hepatitis B, rotavirus, and meningococcal disease, are now recommended primarily for children who are considered at higher risk or after parents talk with their child’s health care provider.
Despite the change, major medical organizations such as the AAP, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the American Academy of Family Physicians continue to recommend all routine vaccines and immunizations previously included in the CDC’s schedule for all children.
The announcement comes as the U.S. experiences record-high flu cases and ongoing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough.
“The [CDC’s] changes disturb me greatly because they’re not based on scientific or public health evidence,” Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells Public Good News. “I think they are not in the best interest of maintaining and improving the health of children in the United States.”
Read on to learn more about what this change means, where to go for childhood vaccine recommendations, and more.
What changed in the CDC’s childhood vaccine recommendations?
Before the update, the CDC schedule recommended immunizations that protect against 17 diseases. Under the new guidance, the agency now universally recommends vaccines that protect against 11 diseases.
The CDC no longer universally recommends vaccines and immunizations for RSV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue, meningococcal disease, the flu, and COVID-19. Instead, those vaccines are now recommended either for children considered at higher risk for severe illness or after parents consult with a health care provider.
Why did the CDC stop recommending certain immunizations for all children?
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the changes were intended to bring the U.S. vaccine schedule more in line with other high-income countries, such as Denmark, that recommend fewer routine vaccines.
But public health experts say those comparisons are misleading.
“Denmark is very, very small. It could fit inside Wisconsin,” Schaffner adds. “The Danes have a rather uniform population. Ours is extraordinarily diverse. The Danes provide medical care paid for from cradle to grave. We have a very uncertain payment system…So there are vast differences between the two countries.”
Experts also say that the changes were not based on new scientific evidence or vetted through the usual independent review process. “[The changes] are based on absolutely NO scientifically sound data and are made just based on what this administration wants without taking into consideration the impact this has on public health,” Dr. Tina Tan, professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and former IDSA president, tells PGN in a written statement.
Will my child’s vaccines still be covered by health insurance?
Yes, according to HHS, all routine childhood vaccines should continue to be covered by government programs, including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as by private insurance, regardless of the changes to CDC recommendations.
What does this new schedule mean for parents?
Parents can continue vaccinating their children based on the recommendations from national medical organizations like the AAP and the AAFP.
Experts recommend talking with a child’s pediatrician or health care provider about which vaccines a child needs at specific times, especially if parents have questions or concerns.
Which schedule should I follow?
Public health experts and doctors, including Schaffner and Tan, recommend following the AAP’s childhood vaccine schedule.
“It’s a very scientifically sound schedule that recommends the vaccines that will protect infants and children,” Tan explains. For any other concerns or questions, they recommend talking to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider.
How could these changes affect children’s health?
Experts worry that the updated CDC guidance could create confusion and lead to lower vaccination, which increases the risk of outbreaks.
Tan warns: “We will continue to see outbreaks of serious vaccine-preventable diseases with more infants and children becoming seriously ill, requiring hospitalization, and unfortunately even dying from diseases that can be prevented.”