
CDC Pulls COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation for Pregnant Women, Healthy Children
Key Takeaways
- Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced the removal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and healthy children, though the CDC website still lists them as recommended.
- The CDC cites studies showing increased ICU admission risk for pregnant women with COVID-19 and benefits of maternal vaccination for infants.
These populations are still included in the CDC’s COVID-19 immunization schedules despite the HHS secretary saying the shots are no longer recommended for them.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, announced that the CDC will no longer recommend routine
In a
“As of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” Kennedy said in the video. “Last year, the Biden administration urged healthy children to get yet another COVID shot despite the lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children.”
However, the CDC website has not gotten the memo. Several hours after Kennedy posted the video, the immunization schedules still recommended at least 1 dose of the latest COVID-19 vaccine
The agency also cited several studies that show
“We are now one step closer to realizing President Trump’s promise to make America healthy again,” Kennedy claimed.1
This news comes as the new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 begins to spread in the US.6 Cases linked to the variant have been reported in airports from New York to California,
The announcement also comes a week after Makary and Vinayak Prasad, MD, MPH, director of the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, published a letter with a new strategy that would require randomized controlled trials with clinical outcomes—such as symptomatic illness, hospitalization, and death—for healthy individuals aged 6 months to 64 years before granting broader approvals, limiting access to older adults and those at risk of severe illness.7 The CDC Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices would typically meet to vote on changes to the immunization schedule or recommendations before a final call, according to Reuters, but the committee did not vote on these changes.8
References
- @SecKennedy. Today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from @CDCgov recommended immunization schedule. X. May 27, 2025. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1927368440811008138
- Child and adolescent immunization schedule by age. CDC. November 21, 2024. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/child-adolescent-age.html
- Adult immunization schedule by age. CDC. November 21, 2024. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/adult-age.html
- Allotey J, Stallings E, Bonet M, et al. Clinical manifestations, risk factors, and maternal and perinatal outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnancy: living systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2020;370:m3320. doi:10.1136/bmj.m3320
- Simeone RM, Zambrano LD, Halasa NB, et al. Effectiveness of maternal mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy against COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in infants aged <6 months during SARS-CoV-2 omicron predominance - 20 states, March 9, 2022-May 31, 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. Published online September 29, 2023. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7239a3
- Tin A. U.S. reports cases of new COVID variant NB.1.8.1 behind surge in China. CBS News. May 23, 2025. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-reports-cases-new-covid-variant-nb-1-8-1-behind-surge-china/
- Prasad V, Makary MA. An evidence-based approach to Covid-19 vaccination. N Engl J Med. Published online May 20, 2025. doi:10.1056/NEJMsb2506929
- Erman M. FDA tightens requirements for COVID vaccine, adding trials for healthy adults. Reuters. May 20, 2025. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/fda-sets-new-covid-booster-guidelines-requiring-trials-approvals-healthy-adults-2025-05-20/
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