In a surprising shift, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is reportedly poised to drop its routine recommendation for COVID-19 vaccines for children, teenagers, and pregnant women, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report.
If confirmed, this would mark a dramatic departure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) current guidance, which has recommended vaccination for everyone six months and older since early in the pandemic.
The reported decision comes as uptake for the latest COVID-19 vaccine remains strikingly low. CDC data shows that, as of late April, only 13% of children and 14% of pregnant women have received the updated shot.
For many, the news feels like a long-awaited acknowledgment of growing public skepticism—fueled in part by evidence showing that children face extremely low risks of severe outcomes from COVID-19.
“This is a triumph for every mom who’s fought to protect their kids from this harmful treatment,” said Dr. Kat Lindley, Director of the IMA Fellowship Program. There is literally no medically justifiable reason to keep mRNA vaccines on the childhood schedule. This move is long overdue.”
David Mansdoerfer, former HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the erosion of public trust. “Trust is the backbone of public health,” he said. “Hesitancy isn’t just about misinformation, it’s about feeling like choices are being taken away. Scaling back these blanket recommendations and giving people their medical freedom back is the right move.”
The reported shift comes as part of a broader reorganization at HHS. Under Secretary Kennedy, the department has initiated significant staffing changes and is working with the FDA on a new framework for vaccine approvals, expected to be released next week. This framework may require more clinical data and placebo testing for vaccine approvals.
The changes within HHS have sparked debate, with some expressing concern about how the overhaul could affect regulatory continuity. “If his goal is to undermine public health infrastructure, he’s making strides there,” said Dorit Reiss, a University of California Law School professor whose research focuses on vaccine law.
As the federal government potentially steps back from a one-size-fits-all approach, the responsibility for COVID-19 vaccine decisions will increasingly fall to families and their doctors. For many, this shift feels like a return to personal choice in a debate that has long been fraught with tension.