Rfk Jr. Seeks To Remove Covid-19 Vaccine Recommendation For Children

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering removing nan COVID-19 vaccine from nan national database of recommended vaccines for children. In an question and reply pinch Fox News, Kennedy said nan move would not prohibit entree to nan vaccine, but would destruct it from nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) charismatic immunization schedule for children.

“President Trump doesn’t judge that anybody should get mandatory vaccines,” Kennedy said connected Fox News. “The COVID vaccine, nan proposal for children, was ever dubious. Kids had almost nary consequence for COVID-19. So why are we giving this to tens of millions of kids erstwhile nan vaccine itself does person profound risk?”

Current line recommendations

Under existent CDC guidelines, nan COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for children opening astatine 6 months old, continuing done property 18 into adulthood. Parents tin still take to vaccinate their children moreover if nan proposal is lifted.

The immunization schedule, available connected nan CDC website, outlines these age-based recommendations successful detail.

Longstanding guidance to vaccines for children

Kennedy has voiced guidance to COVID-19 vaccinations for children since nan early days of nan pandemic. In 2022, while starring the Children’s Health Defense, he wrote to nan Food and Drug Administration (FDA), threatening ineligible action complete nan vaccine’s authorization for minors.

“CHD will activity to clasp you accountable for recklessly endangering this organization pinch a merchandise that has little, no, aliases moreover antagonistic nett efficacy but which whitethorn put them, without warning, astatine consequence of galore adverse wellness consequences, including bosom damage, changeable and different thrombotic events and reproductive harms,” Kennedy said successful a letter to nan FDA.

Data connected kid COVID-19 decease rates

According to CDC data, children correspond a mini fraction of wide COVID-19 deaths. As of nan latest reporting:

• 1,100 deaths were among children aged 0 to 4, representing 0.09% of full COVID-19 deaths.
• 394 deaths occurred successful children aged 5 to 11, aliases 0.03%.
• 639 deaths were among children aged 12 to 17, aliases 0.05%.

These numbers are based connected children who died arsenic a consequence of COVID-19 arsenic “an underlying aliases contributing origin of decease connected nan decease certificate.”

No schoolhouse mandates for COVID-19 shots

Currently, no schools require COVID-19 vaccinations for students, and 22 states person banned specified mandates for schoolhouse attendance.

The Trump management has not provided a circumstantial timeline for erstwhile a last determination whitethorn beryllium made connected removing nan vaccine from nan CDC’s recommended list.