Federal Health Officials Roll Back Childhood Vaccine Recommendations, Sparking Concern Among Minnesota Health Officials
On Monday, federal health officials rolled back recommendations for some childhood vaccines, including those that protect against influenza, COVID-19, and hepatitis B. The decision has sparked concern among Minnesota health officials, who believe it will lead to more hospitalizations and preventable deaths among American children.
Changes to Childhood Vaccine Recommendations
The decision memorandum, signed by Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary of Health and Human Services and acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breaks the childhood vaccine recommendations into three groups: recommended for all children, recommended for high-risk groups, and “immunizations based on shared clinical decision-making.” According to Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, this change “will lead to more hospitalizations and preventable deaths among American children.” Osterholm noted that close to 300 children died from influenza during the 2024-25 season, and this decision will “sow further doubt and confusion among parents and put children’s lives at risk.”
The vaccinations that the federal government continues to recommend for all children prevent against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV), and varicella (chickenpox). However, immunizations against the following diseases are now only recommended for high-risk groups or when “physicians and parents … decide based on individual characteristics,” per an HHS fact sheet:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Dengue
- Rotavirus
- COVID-19
- Influenza
- Meningococcal disease
Response from Minnesota Health Officials
The change responds to a Dec. 5 memorandum from President Donald Trump, instructing HHS Secretary Ronald F. Kennedy, Jr. and O’Neill to “update the United States core childhood vaccine schedule” to resemble other nations’ practices. Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham said the federal government’s “unilateral decision” to change its childhood vaccine guidance is “highly concerning.” Cunningham noted that the previous CDC childhood immunization schedule had been supported by decades of rigorous scientific evidence showing it works to protect children from diseases that can make them very sick.
In a statement, the Minnesota Medical Association, an organization that represents the state’s physicians and medical students, said it is “deeply concerned” by the CDC’s decision. The statement reads, “The changes add unnecessary confusion and uncertainty around vaccines that have been shown to be both safe and effective.” The MMA urges parents and families to talk directly with their physicians about the critical role that childhood vaccines play in preventing serious disease and death, and in protecting the most vulnerable members of their communities.
Private and public health insurance will still cover vaccinations in all three categories, federal officials said. Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said in a statement, “All vaccines currently recommended by CDC will remain covered by insurance without cost sharing. No family will lose access.”
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