Kennedy Rejects COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for Healthy Kids and Pregnant Women

NEW YORK — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a significant shift in COVID-19 vaccination guidelines on Tuesday, stating that vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. This decision has sparked immediate concern among public health experts.

In a brief video shared on social media, Kennedy declared that COVID-19 shots would be removed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations for these groups. Although the announcement was notable, no CDC representatives appeared in the video, leading to further questions about the rationale behind the decision.

Health officials were quick to express their unease. Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, criticized the absence of new data to support the announcement. He emphasized that such drastic moves lack scientific backing.

Currently, U.S. health authorities have been advocating annual COVID-19 booster shots for everyone aged six months and older, following guidance from infectious disease experts. As the pandemic recedes, there’s been growing dialogue about focusing vaccination efforts on the most vulnerable populations, particularly those aged 65 and above.

A CDC advisory panel is scheduled to convene in June to discuss upcoming vaccination strategies, namely recommending shots for high-risk groups while still allowing lower-risk individuals the option to get vaccinated.

Despite this impending review, Kennedy chose to act independently, arguing that recommending annual boosters for children lacked clinical evidence. His decision has raised alarms among healthcare professionals who fear the disregard for a longstanding scientific review process.

“It’s a dangerous precedent,” Osterholm warned, suggesting that such a shift could open the door for similar actions regarding other vaccines, including those for mumps, measles, and rubella, which Kennedy has previously criticized.

Experts also questioned the implications for health insurance coverage of COVID-19 vaccinations and for individuals wishing to receive the shots. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, pointed out the broader purpose of vaccines to safeguard healthy individuals and, consequently, the community.

Statistics reveal that COVID-19 has led to over 1.2 million deaths in the U.S., with children accounting for over 1,300 fatalities since the pandemic began, according to CDC data. Moreover, the pandemic had devastating effects on pregnant women, marking a stark increase in maternal mortality rates.

Vaccination has been promoted for pregnant women to ensure the transfer of immunity to newborns, who are especially vulnerable to infections. Dr. Sean O’Leary from the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized the inaccuracies of asserting that pregnant women are free from risk.

Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, reiterated that the science surrounding COVID-19 risks during pregnancy remains unchanged, stressing the potential catastrophic outcomes of infections for both mothers and their families.