CDC Updates Childhood Vaccine Schedule: Here’s What NYC Parents Should Know
At a Glance:
- Fewer vaccines are now recommended for all children—routine list drops from 17 to 11
- Some vaccines are now for high-risk kids or based on parent-doctor discussion
- All CDC-recommended vaccines are covered by insurance
- Key tip: work with a pediatrician who fits your family’s needs
- New York State childhood vaccination policies remain unchanged
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated its vaccine recommendations, and it’s quite different from the existing vaccination schedule. The biggest change is that fewer vaccines are now recommended for all children. The routine list went from 17 down to 11.
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The other vaccines aren’t completely gone. Some will be recommended for kids who are at higher risk, and some will also be available to all kids if the parents and pediatrician decide on it together.
Here is a breakdown:
- Whooping cough (DTaP)
- Hib
- Pneumococcal
- Polio
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
- HPV (just 1 dose now)
- Chickenpox (varicella)
New CDC Recommendations for High-Risk Kids
According to the CDC, not every kid needs every shot. Some vaccines are recommended only for children who are considered high-risk, which usually means children who have certain health issues and medical conditions, like a weak immune system, chronic lung or heart problems, or liver disease.
High-risk children can also he kids who have higher exposure, such as kids who spend a lot of time in places where they might catch a disease, like daycare, school, or areas where a virus is more common. Or it can also be kids who could pass a disease to someone more vulnerable, like a baby sibling, a grandparent, or anyone with a weakened immune system.
These vaccines are now recommended for high-risk children:
- RSV
- Hepatitis A & B
- Dengue
- Meningococcal ACWY & B
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Talk With Your Doctor About These Vaccines
The following vaccines will no longer be recommended across the board for children, but will instead be left up to the parent and doctor to decide.
- Rotavirus
- COVID-19
- Flu
- Meningococcal disease
- Hepatitis A & B
Vaccines Will Be Covered by Insurance
Since health insurance is a major concern for parents all over, it’s worth noting that all vaccines, recommended or not, will be covered by ACA plans, Medicaid, CHIP, and the Vaccines for Children program, so families won’t have to pay out of pocket.
New York State Department of Health Confirms Childhood Vaccination Policies Remain Unchanged
In light of the federal changes, the New York State Department of Health today confirmed that “New York State’s existing childhood vaccination policies, including school immunization requirements, remain unchanged at this time following a recent federal announcement revising routine childhood immunization recommendations.”
The department website states, “There is no change to vaccine access, insurance coverage, liability protections or the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which continues to provide vaccines at no cost to eligible children.”
“Despite changes announced at the federal level, New York State’s long-standing, childhood vaccine requirements remain the same,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “There was no new science, safety data, or discovery presented by the federal government. New Yorkers can continue to be confident that vaccines offer the best protection from preventable childhood diseases.”
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