CDC Drops 6 Vaccines From the Recommended List—What To Know

We all know flu season can be stressful for parents. But as we head into 2026, anxiety around how to prevent kids from getting sick isn’t likely to ease up even after winter comes to a close. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced major changes to its childhood and adolescent immunization schedule, an age-by-age guide for health care providers on when to vaccinate children to protect them from preventable diseases. Specifically, the CDC reduced the number of vaccines it recommends for all children.

One vaccine to get the cut? The flu shot. That’s right, in the midst of a post-holiday surge in influenza cases that continues to hospitalize children across the country. 

If the headlines are making your head spin, you’re not alone. We spoke with experts to better understand the CDC’s overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule, what the changes mean for families, and how parents can navigate them to keep their kids healthy and thriving.

Understanding the CDC’s Updated Childhood Vaccine Schedule

The CDC’s new childhood immunization schedule is organized in three categories. Here’s a closer look at the complete list of age-recommended vaccines now recommended by the CDC:

Immunizations recommended for all children

The CDC will continue to recommend that all children are vaccinated against: 

• Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP)
• Tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV15, PCV20)
• Poliovirus inactivated (IPV)
• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• Varicella (VAR)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Immunizations recommended for high-risk children

For high-risk children with unusual exposure to the disease, underlying comorbidities, or risk of disease transmission to others, the CDC recommends the following vaccinations: 

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV-mAb)
• Hepatitis B (HepB)
• Dengue
• Meningococcal ACWY
• Meningococcal B
• Hepatitis A (HepA)

Immunizations based on shared clinical decision-making

In lower-risk children, the CDC encourages parents to partner with physicians to determine if vaccines no longer recommended for all patients are needed, including:

• Rotavirus (RV)
• COVID-19
• Influenza
• Hepatitis A (HepA) 
• Hepatitis B (HepB)
• Meningococcal ACWY
• Meningococcal B

Vaccines the CDC No Longer Recommends for All Kids and Why

The vaccines that the CDC is no longer universally recommending include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, influenza, RSV, and meningococcal. This brings the total number of recommended immunizations for all children down to 11 from 17.

“These removed vaccines are now only recommended for high-risk children, like those who have chronic conditions or who are immunocompromised,” explains Michael Bigham, MD, MBA, FAAP, FCCM, chief quality officer at Akron Children’s Hospital and a pediatric critical care (PICU) specialist.

The choice to trim down the U.S. childhood immunization schedule was prompted by government officials aiming to mirror countries with a lower number of recommended vaccines, such as Denmark which immunizes children against only 10 diseases.

From a medical standpoint, however, the dropped vaccines are no different in terms of safety or effectiveness from the ones that remain universally recommended, according to Brandi Freeman, MD, MS, pediatrician and president elect of the National Medical Association (NMA).

“These are vaccines that we as pediatricians have relied on for decades to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and even death in children,” Dr. Freeman says. “The science behind them has not changed. They are well-studied, widely used, and proven to work.”

What These Changes Mean for Families

First the good news: When it comes to cost, families can still expect insurance coverage even for vaccines no longer recommended by the CDC. Federal insurance programs, including Medicaid and the Vaccines for Children program, will still cover them, as well as most private insurance companies at this time, Dr. Bigham notes.

Parents can also rest assured that all vaccines will still be available—for now. “However, when a vaccine is no longer routinely recommended, it can become harder to access over time, especially in busy practices, public clinics, or settings where follow-up visits are difficult,” Dr. Freeman explains.

But according to pediatricians, the most concerning implication of the CDC’s recent action is the confusion it is causing parents, and in turn, the serious health risks it poses for children.

“When a vaccine is no longer routinely recommended, it creates the impression that it is optional or less important,” Dr. Freeman says. “But the diseases those vaccines address are still very real. Delayed or missed vaccinations increase risk, especially for infants and young children.”

Pediatricians Offer Their Stance

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a statement this week to make it clear that it continues to broadly recommend the vaccines that the CDC has removed from its schedule citing the changes as “dangerous and unnecessary.”

“The longstanding, evidence-based approach that has guided the U.S. immunization review and recommendation process remains the best way to keep children healthy and protect against health complications and hospitalizations,” stated AAP president Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, FAAP.

In light of this, the AAP will continue to follow its own childhood vaccine schedule which takes into account unique U.S. factors like the population, school and daycare exposure, and unequal access to health care—all of which affect disease risk, explains Dr. Freeman.

“As a pediatrician, I strongly support the AAP’s schedule,” Dr. Freeman says, which echoes the NMA’s stance as a medical organization. “It reflects how children actually live and move through the world and this country, not a theoretical model. Maintaining that guidance provides clarity for pediatricians and reassurance for parents at a time when both are desperately needed.”

Tips for Navigating the Differing CDC and AAP Vaccine Guidance

The latest vaccine news puts caregivers in an undeniably difficult position to know what guidance to follow. “This has been a sudden and unsettling shift for physicians and families,” Dr. Freeman says. “My advice is to slow down, ask questions, and focus on what hasn’t changed: Vaccines still save lives, and the science behind them remains strong.” 

Here are more tips to navigate the news and protect your child, according to pediatricians:

• Be proactive. Instead of assuming a vaccine is unnecessary because it’s no longer labeled “routine,” address all vaccines during well-child visits with your health care provider. “Parents play an essential role in your child’s health and therefore should be an active partner in decisions about vaccinations,” Dr. Bigham says. 
• Ask questions confidently. “Parents should feel comfortable asking their physician questions [about vaccines],” says Dr. Freeman. “We are trained to understand the science and the potential impact on their health.”
• Lean on experts you trust, not political messaging. Many diseases that are being questioned when it comes to vaccines are still circulating, even if we don’t see them everyday in our own communities. “The measles cases we are seeing today, and the significant flu spread are two very timely examples,” Dr. Freeman notes. “[This is why] vaccine decisions should be made with trusted medical professionals.”

Most importantly, parents can still access the full range of childhood immunizations, even if their child isn’t on the high-risk list designated by the CDC. This is why experts encourage having an open conversation with your health care provider about what’s right for your family.

“Parents want to make the best decisions for their children, so they can grow up healthy and happy,” Dr. Bigham says. “Vaccines remain one of the easiest ways to ensure the health of your children and the community.”