HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering removing the Covid-19 vaccine from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for children, marking his most significant effort yet to challenge federal vaccine policy.
It also reflects his long-standing skepticism toward childhood Covid shots. He has questioned their safety and necessity, citing studies showing low risk to healthy children, and criticized CDC advisory panels as compromised by pharmaceutical interests.
The CDC added the vaccine to its schedule in 2022 following unanimous approval from an outside panel, hoping to normalize uptake. Kennedy, who once threatened to sue the FDA over approving the vaccine for young children, pledged during his confirmation to leave the schedule unchanged — a promise made to secure support from key Senate Republicans. But since taking office, he has vowed to reexamine what he called “taboo or insufficiently scrutinized” policies.
So far, 22 states have banned school Covid vaccine mandates. Trump signed an executive order in February threatening to cut federal funding from schools requiring the shot.
