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CDC Keeps COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Under Shared Clinical Decision-Making

By shifting to a shared clinical decision-making recommendation, the CDC keeps child COVID-19 shots on the schedule with insurer liability intact despite the health secretary’s earlier removal assertion.

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A young child receives a Moderna Covid-19 6 months to 5 years vaccination at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, Massachusetts on June 21, 2022. The temple was one of the first sites in the state to offer vaccinations to anyone in the public.. US health authorities on Saturday cleared the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for children aged five and younger, in a move President Joe Biden greeted as a "monumental step" in the fight against the virus.
FILE - A sign marks the entrance to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, on Oct. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
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Overview

  • On May 29, the CDC updated its childhood immunization schedule to state that children 6 months through 17 years “may receive” COVID-19 vaccines based on clinician judgment and parental preference instead of a universal recommendation.
  • Under the shared decision-making category, insurers must fully cover COVID-19 shots for eligible children with no out-of-pocket costs, preserving access despite the change in language.
  • The CDC’s website still endorses COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, directly contradicting HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s May 27 claim to remove that group from the recommended schedule.
  • Experts including the American Academy of Pediatrics criticized Kennedy’s announcement for bypassing the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and undermining public confidence in vaccine policy.
  • Low uptake remains a concern, with just 13% of children and 23% of adults up to date on the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine, and officials warn permissive guidance could further depress rates.