Impact of Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Guidelines: Identifying the Affected Individuals
Effective May 27, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer recommends COVID-19 vaccines for healthy pregnant individuals or children, according to a statement from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Kennedy made the announcement in a social media post, citing a lack of robust clinical data supporting repeated booster doses for these groups. However, the decision has raised concerns within the medical community, particularly concerning the potential impact on pregnant individuals and children's health.
In an interview with Medical News Today, Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a board-certified pediatrician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, expressed worry about the potential increased risk of complications for pregnant women who forego the COVID-19 vaccine. He noted that several medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, have previously recommended the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy due to its ability to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19, ICU admission, preterm birth, and perinatal death.
For children, the removal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations carries potential health risks, according to Dr. Ganjian. While healthy children may have a lower risk of developing severe COVID-19, infection with the virus could trigger long-term conditions and complications. He added that children with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems may still have access to the vaccine under specific clinical indications, although this would depend on regulatory and public health policy decisions.
In contrast, Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, expressed concern about Kennedy's decision to remove healthy pregnant women from the recommended groups for the COVID-19 vaccine. She noted that pregnant women are relatively immunocompromised and thus at risk of severe COVID-19. Gandhi also mentioned her preference for pregnant women to receive booster shots to provide adequate protection against the virus.
From a public health perspective, the rescinding of broad COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy pregnant individuals and children may signal a shift in risk assessment, leading to increased morbidity in vulnerable populations, according to Dr. Ganjian. Further, Gandhi cautioned that it would not be ethical to use placebo-controlled trials for new COVID-19 vaccines, as it would leave participants unnecessarily exposed to severe disease. She emphasized that a more discerning approach prioritizing the health and safety of pregnant women and children should be taken.
As for the ability of pregnant individuals or parents who wish to vaccinate their children to access the vaccine privately despite the changes, such access may be limited due to regulatory and insurance policy decisions, according to Dr. Ganjian. The full implications of these changes on insurance coverage and public health messaging are expected to be debated within the medical and public health communities.
- Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist, has expressed concern about the removal of healthy pregnant women from the recommended groups for the COVID-19 vaccine, as they are relatively immunocompromised and at risk of severe COVID-19.
- From a public health perspective, the rescinding of broad COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy pregnant individuals may signal a shift in risk assessment, potentially leading to increased morbidity in vulnerable populations.
- In contrast, Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician, has highlighted the potential health risks for children due to the removal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, as infection with the virus could trigger long-term conditions and complications.
- Dr. Ganjian also noted that children with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems may still have access to the vaccine under specific clinical indications, but this would depend on regulatory and public health policy decisions. The full implications of these changes for access and insurance coverage are expected to be debated within the medical and public health communities.
