MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The CDC has reduced its childhood vaccine recommendations from 18 to 11 following a Trump administration review, removing seven vaccines including hepatitis, meningitis, and COVID-19 from the standard schedule while keeping them available for high-risk children.
- CDC reduces childhood vaccine recommendations from 18 to 11 after Trump administration review, removing hepatitis A and B, meningitis, RSV, dengue, rotavirus, COVID-19 and flu vaccines from the standard schedule
- Local Waco parents have mixed reactions - some support more parental choice while others worry about potential resurgence of contagious diseases in children
- Removed vaccines remain available for high-risk children when recommended by doctors, maintaining access while giving families more decision-making power
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In early December, President Donald Trump asked the Secretary of Health and Human Services to examine how peer developed nations structure their childhood vaccine schedules. After research, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.”
The new recommendations shrink the list of recommended childhood vaccines from 18 to 11 compared to the schedule in 2024, removing hepatitis A and B, meningitis, RSV, dengue, rotavirus, COVID-19 and flu vaccines from the standard schedule.
However, the Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the number was previously 17.
"The CDC will continue to recommend that all children are vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and human papillomavirus (HPV), for which there is international consensus, as well as varicella (chickenpox)."
"The immunizations recommended for certain high-risk groups or populations are for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue, meningococcal ACWY, and meningococcal B."
"The immunizations based on shared clinical decision-making are for rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B."
Local parents in Waco have mixed reactions to the changes.
"We should move forward carefully," said Jennell Ingram.
"I think it was a great idea," said Yvonne Araujo.
Dr. Al Johnson with Johnson Medical Associates in Dallas believes leaving those vaccines optional is helpful to a child's immune system.
"I recommend to my patients that they get one vaccine at a time to their children, making sure that they don't react because we really don't know what the individual child's immune capabilities," Johnson said.
Ingram, a grandparent, believes parents should have the choice on vaccines but also worries about a resurgence of illnesses.
"I still worry because those are highly contagious diseases, and being the grandparent of little ones, they are on each other, and they are in each other's faces all the time," Ingram said.
Mother Yvonne Araujo supports fewer recommendations. She says several ingredients like formaldehyde, mercury, or aluminum can be toxic and reminds parents to be informed.
"If you know what you're putting into your body, and you want to take it, then it should be available to you, but if you don't know what's in it, you should have some time to understand what possible side effects there could be," Araujo said.
The vaccines removed from the recommended list are still available if parents have talked with their doctor and if their child is considered high risk.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
