Public trust in mRna vaccines is gone, NIH director claims
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel reflects on his interview with NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya addressing the Trump administration's decision to end investment in mRna vaccine development and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for children — but a major medical group is going against that guidance.
On Tuesday, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its latest annual immunization schedule for children — and it includes vaccines for COVID-19, in addition to flu and RSV.
"Infants and children 6 through 23 months of age are at the highest risk for severe COVID-19," the AAP states in its release.
CANCER VACCINE SHOWS PROMISE IN PREVENTING RECURRENCE OF PANCREATIC, COLORECTAL TUMORS
"Given this, the AAP recommends a COVID-19 vaccine for all children ages 6 through 23 months old to help protect against serious illness."
The AAP also recommends a "single dose of age-appropriate COVID-19 vaccine" for kids and teens 2 and older who are at high risk of severe COVID, have never been vaccinated before, and who live with people who are at a high risk of severe disease.
The CDC no longer recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for children, but a major medical group is going against that guidance. (iStock)
"The AAP also recommends the vaccine be available for children aged 2-18 who do not fall into these risk groups, but whose parent or guardian desires them to have the protection of the vaccine," the release states.
DOCTOR REVEALS THE SECRET WEAPON AGAINST GROWING VACCINE SKEPTICISM WORLDWIDE
"Among the reasons we decided to move to a risk-based recommendation for healthy older children is the fact that the hospitalization rate for young children and children with underlying medical conditions remains high, in line with rates for many of the other vaccine-preventable diseases for which we vaccinate," said Sean O’Leary, M.D., chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, in the release.
In May 2025, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 vaccines would be removed from the CDC’s routine immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
In May 2025, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 vaccines would be removed from the CDC’s routine immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Instead of a universal recommendation, the CDC’s updated guidance calls for "shared clinical decision-making," in which parents and doctors discuss the benefits and risks of vaccination for each individual case.
"Infants and children 6 through 23 months of age are at the highest risk for severe COVID-19," the AAP states in its release. (AP Images)
"Where the parent presents with a desire for their child to be vaccinated, children 6 months and older may receive COVID-19 vaccination, informed by the clinical judgment of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances," the CDC’s guidance states.
In total, the AAP’s schedule includes immunizations against 18 diseases, recommended for all children from birth to age 18.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The AAP noted in a press release that its vaccine schedule "differs from recent recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC."
Other included updates involve the pentavalent meningococcal vaccine, the starting age of the human papilloma virus vaccine, and removal of a hepatitis vaccine that is no longer available, the release states.
Instead of a universal recommendation, the CDC’s updated COVID vaccination guidance calls for "shared clinical decision-making" between parents and doctors. (iStock)
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said that for high-risk children, the COVID vaccines "make a lot of sense."
"There are risks, but the myocarditis risk is less than from COVID itself, and is mostly after the second booster in the weeks afterward," he told Fox News Digital.
"It should be a conversation between the pediatrician, patient and parent, and should depend on the child’s health as well as the current state of COVID."
"It should be a conversation between the pediatrician, patient and parent, and should depend on the child’s health as well as the current state of COVID."
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to the AAP's guidelines in a post on X.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
"AAP today released its own list of corporate-friendly vaccine recommendations. The Trump administration believes in free speech and AAP has a right to make its case to the American people. But AAP should follow the lead of HHS and disclose conflicts of interest, including its corporate entanglements and those of its journal — Pediatrics — so that Americans may ask whether the AAP’s recommendations reflect public health interest, or are, perhaps, just a pay-to-play scheme to promote commercial ambitions of AAP’s Big Pharma benefactors. AAP should also be candid with doctors and hospitals that recommendations that diverge from the CDC’s official list are not shielded from liability under the 1986 Vaccine Injury Act."
Fox News Digital reached out to the AAP requesting comment.
Fox News Health
Stay up-to-date on the biggest health and wellness news with our weekly recap.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
