
<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently removed the COVID-19 vaccine from its routine immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, shifting instead to a “shared clinical decision-making” approach. Under this guidance, vaccination is left to parents and physicians to decide based on individual risks and preferences.</p>



<p>However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has taken a different stance. On Tuesday, the AAP released its 2025 annual childhood immunization schedule, which continues to recommend <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/infectious-disease/coronavirus" title=""><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-ast-global-color-0-color">COVID-19 vaccination</mark></a> alongside flu and RSV shots.</p>



<p>According to the AAP, infants and children between 6 and 23 months face the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19. For that reason, the organization advises vaccination for all children in this age group.</p>



<p>For children and teens ages 2 to 18, the AAP recommends a single age-appropriate dose in certain cases—specifically for those at high risk of severe illness, those who have never been vaccinated, or those living with high-risk individuals. The group also supports making the vaccine available to any child in this age range if parents or guardians choose to pursue it.</p>



<p>“Among the reasons we decided to move to a risk-based recommendation for healthy older children is the fact that the hospitalization rate for young children and children with underlying medical conditions remains high, in line with rates for many other vaccine-preventable diseases,” explained Sean O’Leary, M.D., chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases.</p>



<p>In contrast, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in May 2025 that the CDC would no longer include COVID-19 vaccines in its universal immunization schedule for children, favoring a more individualized discussion between parents and healthcare providers.</p>



<p>Beyond COVID-19, the AAP’s new schedule covers vaccines for <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/health/infectious-disease" title=""><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-ast-global-color-0-color">18 different diseases</mark></a> from birth through age 18. Updates include changes to the recommended age for the human papillomavirus vaccine, guidance on the pentavalent meningococcal vaccine, and the removal of a discontinued hepatitis vaccine.</p>



<p>The AAP acknowledged that its recommendations differ from those of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, signaling an ongoing debate in the medical community over the role of COVID-19 vaccination in childhood immunization.</p>

Medical Group Recommends COVID Shots for Young Kids, Defies CDC
The CDC no longer recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for children, but a major medical group is going against that guidance. (iStock)