Overview of the Controversial Decision

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced this week that it will no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant people. This shift in guidance has sparked backlash from experts, who argue that both groups may still face higher risks from COVID-19 compared to healthy adults.

The new recommendation was shared in a video posted on X by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Dr. Martin Makary, MD, MPH, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The COVID vaccine has now been removed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s recommended immunization schedule for these groups, according to Kennedy.

What's Behind the Change?

According to Kennedy, there is insufficient clinical data supporting the effectiveness of repeated COVID boosters in children. Additionally, Dr. Makary pointed out that other countries have rolled back vaccine recommendations for children. However, the HHS did not explain its decision regarding pregnant individuals.

An HHS spokesperson explained, “With the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, it is time to move forward. HHS and the CDC remain committed to gold standard science and to ensuring the health and well-being of all Americans—especially our nation’s children—using common sense.”

This decision comes alongside the FDA's announcement of stricter requirements for COVID booster approval in healthy Americans under 65. The FDA now requires companies to provide randomized, controlled trial data to demonstrate the shot’s effectiveness for this group, which makes it unlikely that these boosters will reach the market.

Risks for Pregnant People and Children Remain, Experts Say

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) criticized the HHS decision, expressing concerns about the safety of pregnant individuals without the COVID vaccine. Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, MD, OB-GYN and ACOG president, emphasized the dangers of COVID-19 during pregnancy, citing CDC data showing high COVID hospitalization rates in infants under six months—who cannot yet be vaccinated.

Experts like Dr. Andrew Siesennop, MD, General Pediatrician at Tufts Medical Center, stressed that although the risk of severe illness for children is lower, it is not negligible. The COVID vaccine has proven to be effective in preventing severe disease and hospitalizations in children, according to Dr. Taylor Heald-Sargent, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

What This Change Means for Vaccine Access

Despite the policy change, the COVID vaccine may still be available for healthy children and pregnant people, but only through healthcare providers who can order vaccines not listed on the CDC’s recommended schedule. The lack of official recommendation for these groups may affect insurance coverage, potentially making the vaccine unaffordable for many families.

Dr. Aaron Milstone, MD, MHS, Pediatric Director of Infection Prevention at Johns Hopkins Health System, expressed concern that this decision could limit families' options, especially since healthy children and pregnant people can still die from COVID.

The Bottom Line

While the HHS decision to remove COVID vaccine guidance for healthy children and pregnant people has garnered controversy, experts emphasize the importance of giving families the option to get vaccinated. Many leaders in maternal and pediatric health stress the need for informed choice, even if the federal government no longer recommends it. Dr. Milstone concluded, “I do think there’s risk [with] these decisions. I understand the change from a requirement, but I think the decision to offer is important and appropriate.”