CDC Childhood Immunization Schedule Recommendations Updated by HHS

BAY COUNTY, FL - After review of the underlying science, and comparing the U.S. child and adolescent immunization schedule with those of peer, developed nations, CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill updated the U.S. childhood and adolescent immunization schedule. The CDC has reduced the number of recommended vaccines targeting 17 diseases to 11, and number of injections from 84-88 to 30 doses! For other diseases, the CDC will recommend immunization for high-risk groups, or through parent/doctor shared clinical decision making when it is not possible for public health authorities to clearly define who will benefit from an immunization. All vaccines recommended last year however will be available and covered by the Affordable Care Act and federal insurance plans including Medicaid and other children’s programs. This means that insurance will continue to cover more vaccines for children in the U.S. than in peer nations, where insurance generally only pays for recommended vaccines.

These changes are accompanied by strengthening of vaccine research through HHS’ commitment to double-blind placebo controlled randomized trials which have never been done on any of the current vaccines, and more observational studies to evaluate long-term adverse effects of individual vaccines on the schedule which in the past were never reported to FDA by CDC as required by law.

Trust in U.S. public health declined from 72% to 40% between 2020 and 2024 mostly related to failure of our public health system during the pandemic, including COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Consequently, the uptake rate of childhood vaccines declined during the same time period.

The CDC will continue to recommend that all children are vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Hemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and one dose of human papillomavirus (HPV), for which there is international consensus, as well as varicella (chickenpox). Most of these recommended immunizations for children and adolescents will maintain robust protection against diseases that may cause serious morbidity or mortality to children.

The immunizations recommended for certain high-risk groups are for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue, meningococcal ACWY, and meningococcal B.

Immunizations Based on Shared Clinical Decision-Making 

It is not always possible for public health authorities to clearly define who will benefit from an immunization, who has relevant risk factors, or who is at risk for exposure. Physicians and parents who know the child are then best able to decide based on individual characteristics. Immunizations based on shared clinical decision-making are for rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B.