The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer recommend routine COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children and pregnant women, according to an announcement made Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“We are now one step closer to realizing @POTUS’s promise to Make America Healthy Again,” Kennedy stated in a post on X. While he specified that the vaccine would no longer be recommended for “healthy pregnant women,” the criteria for determining who qualifies as healthy remains unclear, given that pregnancy itself is considered a risk factor for complications from COVID-19.
The CDC’s change follows a statement by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, who announced plans to restrict COVID vaccine use to older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions. Under the new policy, updated COVID vaccines for healthy children and adults will require placebo-controlled clinical trials before approval.
Kennedy, who has long opposed various vaccines, including those for COVID-19, filed a petition in 2021 requesting that the FDA revoke authorization of the vaccines. That year, he described the COVID vaccines as “the deadliest vaccine ever made,” referencing rare cases of myocarditis in young men. Studies have shown that the risk of myocarditis is higher with COVID infection and typically more severe than after vaccination.
Under Kennedy’s leadership, the FDA delayed approval of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine before authorizing it earlier this month. The FDA limited its use to people aged 65 and older and to teens and adults with at least one risk factor for severe illness.
There are no federal mandates in the United States requiring COVID-19 vaccination. However, experts have noted that people with previous infections may still benefit from additional doses, particularly older adults, immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant women. During the pandemic, doctors observed a significant increase in hospitalizations among pregnant women with COVID, and research from Brown University indicated a rise in maternal deaths following the virus’s spread.
COVID-19 continues to circulate, with current levels of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths described as low. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, stated that children are still being treated for COVID-19 in emergency departments, presenting with conditions such as bronchiolitis or bronchitis.
Previously, the CDC recommended COVID-19 vaccines for everyone aged six months and older. Dr. Richard Besser, former acting CDC director, expressed concern about the process change, stating that vaccine recommendations were historically based on scientific evidence and advisory input. “This is clearly not coming from that direction, and that’s greatly concerning,” he said.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices has not voted on the current change. The recommendation instead came directly from the health secretary. William Schaffner, an infectious disease professor and ACIP consultant, described the announcement as “preemptory,” noting that a committee vote had been expected in June.
The CDC’s recommendation affects insurance coverage. Under the Affordable Care Act, private insurers are required to cover vaccines recommended by the CDC. Public programs like Vaccines for Children may also be impacted. Dr. Offit warned that a lack of CDC recommendation could lead to reduced availability and higher costs for the vaccine.
Vaccine manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer did not immediately respond to the announcement.
