RFK Jr. Alters Federal COVID Vaccine Policies
May 27, 2025 — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the CDC will stop recommending COVID-19 shots for healthy kids and pregnant women.
This is one of the biggest shifts in federal vaccine guidance since the onset of the pandemic.
Key Points of the Announcement
The Change: The CDC has pulled back its advice for COVID-19 vaccines in healthy children and expectant mothers.
Why Now? Kennedy says there's not enough long-term data to keep recommending repeated boosters to people with low risk.
Why It Matters: When the CDC updates its vaccine schedule, it affects doctors, insurance coverage, and school requirements nationwide.
What People Are Saying
Doctors and public health officials are split.
Some say it makes sense. Countries like the UK and Sweden already scaled back COVID vaccine guidance for kids. They say the risk to young, healthy people is low now and the benefits of continued shots just aren’t as clear anymore.
Critics think this change could send the wrong message. They say pulling back might confuse people, especially those who still face risks from new variants or long COVID.
A Quick Look Back
Before this change, the CDC recommended COVID vaccines for just about everyone six months old and up. Including pregnant women based on studies indicating the shots helped prevent serious illness and complications during pregnancy.
Groups like ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) stood behind that advice. They said the benefits clearly outweighed the risks, especially for pregnant women who were more likely to get very sick from COVID.
But the federal approach is shifting. RFK Jr. has long raised questions about vaccine safety. Now, from inside the government, he’s pushing for what he calls a “precautionary approach.” He wants more time, more long-term data, and fewer one-size-fits-all health directives.
Critics think this move could weaken trust in public health. But supporters say it’s about time federal guidance reflected where we are now, not where we were in 2020.
COVID Vaccine Approval: Faster Than Usual
One key point driving this change is how fast the vaccines were approved.
The first COVID shots got Emergency Use Authorization in less than a year. Full approval came a little over a year later. A lightning-fast timeline compared to how long it usually takes.
For example, the measles or polio vaccines took about 5 to 10 years to fully approve. Most go through years of follow-up before we thoroughly understand how they affect people long-term.
Kennedy and others worry that this “warp-speed” rollout didn’t give scientists enough time to study things like:
How long booster protection actually lasts
What happens after repeated doses over several years
Any long-term effects on children’s immune systems
How babies might be affected if their mothers were vaccinated during pregnancy
Of course, many public health experts say the speed was necessary. COVID-19 was a global emergency and waiting five years wasn’t an option.
They also point to millions of safe doses already given, and the ongoing monitoring that’s in place to catch problems early. Still, long-term studies take time. Researchers will need at least another 5 to 10 years of data before we fully understand the full picture.
What Comes Next?
With the new CDC guidance, fewer families may opt for COVID vaccines especially for their children. Some states could change their school vaccination rules. Some insurers might stop covering the shots.
Federal officials say this is not the end of COVID vaccine research or development as they continue to closely monitor new variants. More policy changes are likely as more scientists collect and analyze more data.
In the meantime, doctors are urging people to talk to their own healthcare providers. What’s right for one person may not be right for everyone.
As always, stay updated through official public health sources like the CDC and your state’s health department.