The addition of RSV and COVID-19 vaccines to the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule is being criticized by some online. RSV vaccines are recommended for older adults and pregnant people, and COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. An anti-vaccine website published an article calling for COVID-19 vaccines to be removed from all immunization schedules.
Opposition to routine vaccines is widespread online. Talking points may highlight that recommended immunization schedules are not requirements. Prebunking messaging may explain that immunization reduces the impact of infectious diseases on individuals and communities. Many decades of research and monitoring have conclusively demonstrated that the risks associated with childhood vaccination are exceedingly low and are far outweighed by the benefits of preventing potentially debilitating and deadly diseases. Messaging may also emphasize that respiratory infections like the flu, RSV, and COVID-19 pose a higher risk to certain vulnerable populations, including infants, young children, and older and pregnant adults.
