HHS to Discontinue Routine COVID Vaccine Recommendations for Children and Pregnant Women, Reports Say

The Trump administration is moving to scale back federal recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination among children and pregnant women, signaling a significant change in public health policy. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), now led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is preparing to withdraw routine guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that urges these groups to receive COVID shots.

Currently, the CDC advises that everyone aged six months and older should be vaccinated against COVID-19. That policy, however, may soon be reversed, with federal officials expected to announce changes in the coming days. It remains unclear whether HHS will eliminate the recommendation altogether or merely stop promoting universal vaccination for children and expectant mothers.

This departure would represent a marked shift from the broad vaccine rollout strategies that characterized the early stages of the pandemic. Over the past year, uptake of recent COVID boosters has been low for both groups: as of April, CDC data shows only 13% of children and 14% of pregnant women have received the latest vaccine dose.

The policy pivot coincides with actions at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary is preparing to implement a more rigorous approval process for future vaccines. Speaking at a recent food and drug law conference, Dr. Makary stated, “We want to see vaccines that are available for high-risk individuals, and at the same time, we want some good science. We want some good clinical data.”

Kennedy, who has long expressed skepticism about mRNA vaccines and mass vaccination campaigns, now wields the authority to revise federal health recommendations as HHS secretary.

Should the CDC’s routine vaccination guidance be rescinded, it would upend one of the most visible public health initiatives launched during the Trump administration’s first term—Operation Warp Speed—and raise questions about the future of insurance coverage for these vaccines.

Reactions to the anticipated move have been mixed:

• Critics warn that easing recommendations could lower vaccination rates further and leave vulnerable populations, such as the immunocompromised, at greater risk.
• Supporters argue the change reflects evolving scientific evidence and restores personal choice regarding vaccination.

Both the HHS and CDC declined to comment on potential changes to the vaccination guidelines.