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CDC Slashes Childhood Vaccine Schedule
5 Jan
Summary
- CDC reduces recommended childhood vaccines from 18 to 11 diseases.
- Schedule change aims to restore public trust eroded during pandemic.
- Vaccines for flu, Covid, and RSV now recommended for high-risk groups.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has implemented a major revision to the childhood vaccine schedule, decreasing the recommended vaccines for all children from 18 to 11 diseases. This immediate change brings the U.S. schedule closer to Denmark's, with the stated goal of restoring public confidence in health guidance, which reportedly waned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agency's scientific assessment acknowledged a need for "more and better science" on vaccines. While not removing any vaccines entirely, the new recommendations shift some, like those for RSV, hepatitis A, and COVID-19, to be advised only for high-risk groups or through shared clinical decision-making. This adjustment is intended to reassure parents who may have become hesitant.
Experts express concern that this move could cause confusion and further erode trust, potentially leading to lower vaccination rates. The schedule, which is not a mandate but influences insurance coverage and school requirements, has historically relied on CDC recommendations. The CDC maintains that all previously recommended vaccines will remain available and covered by insurance plans.
