Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Tuesday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer recommend the Covid vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women. This change is a significant shift in vaccine policy.
In a video posted to social media, Kennedy stated, “As of today, the Covid vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule.” He criticized the previous administration’s push for healthy children to receive additional Covid shots, pointing out the absence of clinical data to support such recommendations.
Kennedy was joined by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya during the announcement. Makary emphasized that there is no evidence showing that healthy children need the vaccine at this time. He noted that many countries have already stopped recommending the vaccine for children. Bhattacharya echoed this sentiment, calling the decision “common sense and good science.”
This policy update comes in light of new CDC reports highlighting an increased risk of myocarditis, particularly in young men who receive the Covid vaccine. Public interest in Covid vaccinations has waned, with recent CDC data indicating that only one in eight American children and one in four adults over 18 have received the vaccine.
The Trump administration made this announcement without the usual input from a panel of experts that typically reviews such changes. This decision reflects ongoing shifts in vaccine policy regarding Covid in the U.S. as different administrations have taken varying approaches over the years.