Pediatricians’ group breaks with CDC, still urging COVID-19 shots for young children

The Brief

  • The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending COVID-19 shots for children 6 months to 2 years, diverging from CDC guidance.
  • The CDC, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., no longer recommends shots for healthy children of any age.
  • This is the first major split between AAP and CDC vaccine guidance in three decades.

LOS ANGELES For the first time in 30 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics is breaking from federal vaccine guidance — urging COVID-19 shots for young children despite scaled-back recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Family fun at Riviera Maya with Bahia Principe.Bahia Principe |

The pediatricians’ group announced Tuesday it will continue recommending COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months to 2 years, and for older children at risk of severe illness. The move marks a significant departure from new federal guidance shaped by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which no longer recommends the shots for healthy children.

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