On May 27, the HHS secretary shared a video in which he announced that the CDC will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant people. Many social media users responded to the announcement with dismay, noting that experts in the field condemned the change. Others celebrated the news as a “step in the right direction.” However, the CDC’s updated recommended childhood immunization schedule states that healthy children and teens may receive COVID-19 vaccines through “shared clinical decision-making” between parents and health care providers.
Recommendation
Conflicting COVID-19 vaccine guidance may create barriers for people to get vaccinated and cause confusion about insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines. Health communicators may emphasize that experts in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and infectious diseases continue to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for people older than 6 months, including pregnant people.
Fact-checking sources: Health.com, CIDRAP
