The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated immunization guidelines for children and adolescents on May 29, 2025, retaining COVID-19 vaccination as part of routine care for individuals aged 6 months and older under a revised framework of “shared clinical decision-making.”
The update follows a contentious announcement by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on May 27, in which he declared the removal of COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women.
This adjustment allows healthcare providers and families to weigh vaccination decisions based on individual risk factors and preferences, while ensuring insurance coverage remains intact. The CDC’s updated schedule no longer categorizes COVID-19 vaccines as universally “recommended” for all children. Instead, the agency now advises that vaccinations be administered after consultations between healthcare providers and families, a model already applied to other vaccines, such as meningococcal B and HPV, for specific age groups.
The CDC emphasizes that vaccination remains critical for immunocompromised children and those with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease. While the risk of severe COVID-19 is lower in healthy children than in adults, vaccination still provides protection, especially for those with underlying health conditions or other risk factors.
Clinical trials and real-world data show that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing symptomatic infection and, more importantly, severe illness and hospitalization in children. Vaccination also reduces the risk of long COVID in children.
Kennedy’s May 27 declaration, made via a 58-second social media video alongside FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, bypassed standard CDC advisory processes. Historically, vaccine recommendations have involved collaboration among the CDC, the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices), and the FDA. Kennedy’s decision to sidestep these channels, reportedly without consulting CDC leadership, is a departure from established protocols.
The ACIP, a federally mandated body of medical experts tasked with evaluating vaccine evidence through transparent, multi-stage reviews, had not finalized updated COVID-19 recommendations. The group is scheduled to convene in June 2025 to deliberate eligibility criteria. Kennedy’s unilateral announcement is a departure from decades of precedent. Vaccine policy changes follow rigorous analysis of safety data, cost-effectiveness studies, and public deliberation.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) condemned the decision, noting that pregnancy inherently elevates risks for severe COVID-19 complications, including preterm birth and stillbirth. Similarly, pediatricians highlighted data showing that maternal vaccination reduces infant hospitalization rates during the first six months of life.
Kennedy’s directive risks creating confusion about insurance coverage and access. Under the Affordable Care Act, vaccines on the CDC’s recommended schedule must be covered by insurers without cost-sharing. While the CDC’s updated framework preserves coverage under “shared decision-making,” experts worry the mixed messaging could deter families from seeking vaccinations.
