HHS⁤ Revises COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations, Sparks Concern

Updated May ‍29, 2025

The ‍Department of health and Human Services ⁣(HHS) will remove the COVID-19 vaccine from its recommended immunization‍ schedule for healthy children and pregnant ⁣individuals, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday. The policy shift, revealed in a video⁤ on X, has drawn criticism from‍ medical‍ professionals.

Kennedy, along with FDA Commissioner Martin Makary‍ and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, called the move “common sense,” citing a lack⁢ of evidence supporting the ⁢vaccine’s necessity for healthy children and noting that many countries no longer recommend it for this group. The officials did⁤ not elaborate on the ⁤reasoning regarding pregnant⁢ individuals.

The declaration follows the FDA’s recent recommendation to limit COVID-19 shots⁢ to adults 65 and older and those at high risk. As of May 28, the CDC⁢ still lists the COVID vaccine on its vaccination schedule for children and pregnant women.

the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has voiced strong concerns about the change. ⁣The IDSA criticized the decision⁣ to bypass the‍ Advisory committee on Immunization Practices, which typically reviews such matters.

Tina Tan, president of IDSA and a physician at Ann & ‍Robert ‍Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, ⁣saeid the decision was concerning because it occurred outside the established review process.Tan, also a pediatrics professor at ⁤Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasized that healthy children face risks from COVID-19 complications,‍ including long COVID.

“It’s concerning that this decision was made outside of a well-established process that⁣ has previously been ⁣open to the public and relied‍ on a robust review of scientific evidence,” said tina Tan, MD, president of IDSA.

Tan noted that long COVID,⁢ or MIS-C, can⁤ affect growth in infants ⁢and children, even after mild or asymptomatic⁣ infections.She⁣ also highlighted the risks for pregnant individuals, who are ⁢more susceptible to severe COVID-19 complications like preterm labour, preeclampsia, and organ damage, according to ⁢the IDSA.

The American College of obstetricians and Gynecologists ⁣(ACOG) ⁢also expressed⁢ “extreme disappointment” with the HHS decision.

“As ob-gyns who treat patients every day, we have ⁣seen firsthand how risky COVID-19 infection can be during ⁣pregnancy and for newborns who depend on maternal antibodies from the vaccine for protection,” wrote Steven J. Fleischman, MD, president of ACOG.

ACOG President Steven J. Fleischman stated that COVID-19 during pregnancy can lead to significant disability and devastating consequences for families. The‍ NIH notes that while vaccines are not approved⁢ for infants under six months, maternal vaccination during pregnancy provides newborns with protection against symptomatic COVID infection for at least six months.

what’s next

The lack ⁢of clarity regarding the criteria for defining “healthy” children and pregnant individuals ⁤raises‍ questions about who should receive the vaccine ⁤under the new ‍guidance. Experts also worry that insurance companies may drop coverage for the COVID-19⁢ vaccine, potentially limiting access for children and pregnant individuals.