Overview
- Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos stepped down June 3 as co-leader of the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine work group, saying she could no longer help vulnerable populations under the new policy.
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unilaterally removed CDC recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women without seeking ACIP input.
- Two days after Kennedy’s announcement, the CDC updated its schedule to allow healthy children aged 6 months to 17 years to receive vaccines under a shared clinical decision-making model.
- Professional bodies including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Infectious Diseases Society of America warned the changes threaten insurance coverage and clear public-health guidance.
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is set to meet June 25–27 to deliberate and vote on revised COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.