Kennedy’s vaccine advisers decline to recommend COVID-19 shot for all Americans
Mary Conlon/AP
ATLANTA (AP) — New vaccine advisers under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparked confusion on Friday by choosing not to recommend this fall’s COVID-19 vaccines for any specific group, instead leaving the decision entirely up to individuals.
This marks a major departure from previous years, when updated COVID-19 shots were widely recommended and made available to nearly all Americans. This fall, however, the Food and Drug Administration has limited access to updated vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax — reserving them for people aged 65 and older or those at higher risk of severe illness.
In a series of divided votes, the CDC’s advisory panel stopped short of endorsing the shots for any age group. Instead, they emphasized personal choice and called for clearer warnings about potential vaccine risks — a move that drew criticism from several medical organizations who say the vaccines have a strong safety record.
Some panel members pushed for even stricter controls, including requiring a prescription for the shots, though that measure ultimately failed.
Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics criticized the lack of a clear recommendation, calling it “extraordinarily vague” and warning that it could negatively affect vaccination rates among children. “It was a very, very strange meeting,” he added, noting what he saw as efforts to “sow distrust” in vaccines.
Though not perfect, CDC data shows that COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer the best protection against severe illness and death — especially for seniors and young children. Like flu shots, the COVID-19 vaccine is now updated annually. Despite this, only 44% of seniors and 13% of children were up-to-date with their shots last year.
“If you make a recommendation that people are simply not going to follow, I don’t think that’s wise,” said panelist Dr. Cody Meissner of Dartmouth College.
Concerns were also raised about a rare side effect — heart inflammation (myocarditis) — mostly seen in young men after vaccination. One researcher told the panel his federally funded study into genetic risks for myocarditis was shut down by the Trump administration before it could be completed.
Despite the CDC panel’s stance, other medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, are urging continued access to vaccines for anyone aged 6 months and older, including pregnant women. Several states have already moved to ensure availability regardless of the federal recommendation, and major health insurers plan to keep covering the shots through 2026.
The CDC meeting also covered other vaccines. The panel chose to delay a decision on whether to change the long-standing recommendation that newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine at birth — amid pushback from pediatric and infectious disease experts who say the vaccine is safe and effective.
Separately, the panel recommended that young children under age 4 receive separate MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and chickenpox vaccines, rather than the combined MMRV version. This aligns with existing CDC preferences, as most toddlers already receive the vaccines separately. The government’s Vaccines for Children program will also update its guidance to reflect this change.
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