President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to develop new recommendations on the timing and administration of childhood vaccines. The order promotes separating vaccines across medical visits when feasible and calls for making measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines available separately, although standalone versions are not currently available in the United States. It also questions the number of vaccines children receive and repeats false claims that vaccines may cause autism or that administering multiple vaccines at the same visit can overwhelm a child’s immune system.
The order prompted widespread online debate about childhood vaccination. Supporters praised efforts to space out vaccines and expressed concerns about receiving multiple vaccines. False claims that vaccines cause autism and that children receive more than 70 vaccines also circulated. Other commenters criticized the order and expressed concern that additional appointments could make vaccination more difficult for families. Parents also questioned whether the order changes the vaccines available at upcoming appointments, school and daycare requirements, or insurance coverage.
Recommendation
The executive order and resulting online conversation may increase confusion about which childhood vaccine schedule families should follow and reinforce false claims about vaccine safety. Health communicators may continue to direct families to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ evidence-based immunization schedule, which continues to recommend routine childhood vaccination. Messaging may emphasize that recommended childhood vaccines remain available and covered by insurance in most cases, and parents can talk with their pediatrician about questions related to upcoming vaccinations. Communicators may also clarify that the executive order does not itself immediately change state or local school and daycare vaccination requirements.
Communicators may also explain that administering multiple recommended vaccines during the same visit is safe and does not overwhelm a child’s immune system. Combination vaccines reduce the number of injections children need, and following the recommended schedule helps ensure that children are protected on time. Messaging may reinforce that extensive research has found no association between vaccines and autism and that delaying or spacing out vaccines beyond the recommended schedule can leave children unprotected for longer.
Fact-checking sources: HealthyChildren.org, AP News
Communication resources: Find more talking points on communicating about pediatric immunization
