HHS TO END ROUTINE COVID-19 VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS- For Children, Teens, & Pregnant Women
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is preparing to halt its recommendation for routine COVID-19 vaccinations for children, adolescents, and pregnant women, according to a senior agency official. The shift, first reported on May 15, is expected to be formally announced in the coming days.
Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that everyone aged 6 months and older receive the latest COVID-19 vaccine.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly questioned the effectiveness of the Novavax vaccine, which is only approved under emergency-use authorization. Emergency-use approval requires less rigorous evidence than full authorization.
In 2023, the CDC added COVID-19 vaccines to the official immunization schedule after receiving a recommendation from its advisory panel. However, last month that same panel suggested it may revise its recommendation, limiting COVID-19 vaccination to specific groups rather than maintaining a universal approach.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, like Kennedy, has raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 shots. The FDA is reportedly planning to introduce a new vaccine approval framework next week, which may require vaccine manufacturers to provide additional data. Under Kennedy’s leadership, HHS has announced that all future vaccines must undergo placebo-controlled testing before being licensed.
