US national health agency bucks health chief, keeps COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists coronavirus shots on website after Robert F. Kennedy Jr said agency would end recommendations
HOUSTON, United States
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintained its recommendations Friday for healthy children to receive coronavirus vaccines if their doctors approved.
It came after Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr said the recommendation would be removed. The HHS oversees the CDC.
The "COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for people ages 6 months and older," according to an updated vaccine schedule posted on the CDC website.
The guidance now calls for "shared clinical decision-making," between doctors, patients and parents.
"This provision would allow for COVID-19 vaccination in children aged 6 months and older based on shared clinical decision-making, allowing for vaccination of immunocompromised children," it said.
The recommendations were posted on the website despite Kennedy saying Tuesday that the CDC had removed them.
"As of today (Tuesday), the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule," said Kennedy, who is a vocal vaccine skeptic.
Kennedy's announcement came one week after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced that the agency plans to restrict new COVID-19 shots to older adults and those with underlying medical conditions.
The move is a 180-degree turn from past efforts to combat the disease based on attempts at securing universal vaccination.
