RFK Jr. Shifts COVID-19 Vaccine Policy: No Longer Recommends Shots for Healthy Children and Pregnant Women
In a sweeping and controversial move that is sending shockwaves through the medical and political landscapes, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now serving in a prominent public health role, announced a change in the U.S. government's COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. Effective immediately, the federal government will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children and pregnant women, a reversal from previous guidance upheld by health agencies since 2021. The announcement came during a press briefing earlier this week, in which Kennedy cited “a need for recalibrated public health priorities” and “restoration of individual choice and scientific debate” as reasons for the shift. While Kennedy emphasized that high-risk populations—such as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses—would still be advised to get vaccinated, he framed the new policy as a “course correction” in what he described as the “politicization of vaccine science.” A Break from the Norm The decision bypa...