Overview

• On May 27, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed routine COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women without an ACIP vote.
• The CDC’s subsequent guidance maintained a shared clinical decision-making option for children aged 6 months to 17 years but eliminated the recommendation for pregnant women.
• Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, co-leader of the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine working group, resigned on June 3, citing her inability to support vulnerable populations under the new policy.
• Leading medical societies condemned the process and content of the changes, warning they could undermine public trust and restrict vaccine access.
• The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to convene June 25-27 to review and vote on revised COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.