Children as young as 6-months-old may still receive COVID-19 vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised Thursday — but the shot is no longer recommended for healthy kids.
The change in language follows Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s announcement earlier this week that the shot would be “removed” from the childhood immunization schedule.
“Where the parent presents with a desire for their child to be vaccinated, children 6 months and older may receive COVID-19 vaccination, informed by the clinical judgment of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances,” the CDC’s latest guidance on vaccines for children, released Thursday, stated.
The shift to so-called “shared clinical decision-making” — a change from the CDC’s previous recommendation that “all children should” receive at least one dose at 6 months — will compel health insurance companies to keep covering the cost of the vaccine, according to the agency.
On Tuesday, Kennedy indicated the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be recommended by the CDC for healthy children and pregnant women.
“I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that as of today the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” RFK Jr., said in a video posted on X.
“We’re now one step closer to realizing President Trump’s promise to make America healthy again.
“Bottom line: it’s common sense, and it’s good science,” the HHS secretary added.
The CDC still lists the shot on its vaccine schedule for adults, but does not provide guidance on whether pregnant women should take it.
“No Guidance/Not Applicable,” reads the COVID-19 shot update for pregnant women.
The HHS did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
A spokesperson for HHS told the New York Times that Biden-era guidance for the shot had been “removed” from the CDC’s schedule, but did not address why the public health agency did not entirely remove it — as RFK Jr. suggested would happen.
“The old COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children under 18 and for pregnant women have been removed from the CDC. vaccine schedule,” the spokesperson said. “The CDC and HHS encourage individuals to talk with their health care provider about any personal medical decision.
“Under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy, HHS. is restoring the doctor-patient relationship. If a parent desires their healthy child to be vaccinated, their decision should be based on informed consent through the clinical judgment of their health care provider.”
Kennedy and many of his fellow top health officials, such as Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, have long raised suspicions about the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to low-risk populations.
The post CDC nixes language recommending COVID-19 shot for kids – suggests families consult doctors after RFK Jr. teased removal from vaccine schedule appeared first on New York Post.
