CDC vaccine panel votes to remove Covid shot recommendations for all Americans

A federal vaccine advisory panel voted to remove all positive recommendations for Covid-19 vaccines from U.S. public health guidance, signaling a shift toward individual decision-making on vaccination. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, long seen as the science-based connector between research and public policy, concluded there would be no blanket endorsement for the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. The vote leaves the CDC with the directive to update its communication accordingly, though the agency’s acting director has not yet signed off on the new stance.

The panel said adults under 65 should consult with a clinician or decide individually on receiving Covid vaccines, and that those aged six months through 64 should also decide independently. While acknowledging that vaccination can benefit people with underlying conditions that raise the risk of severe Covid—such as asthma or obesity—the ACIP framed the guidance around personal choice and clinical context rather than a universal recommendation. The decision also noted that the Affordable Care Act requires federal insurance plans to cover the shots, but it warned that the shift could complicate coverage through private insurers depending on carriers’ interpretations of the guidance.

The policy move coincides with a broader reshaping of the panel itself. Kennedy-linked leadership last year prompted the removal of all 17 ACIP members in June, a decision Kennedy described as a needed “clean sweep” to re-establish confidence in vaccine science. The current panel includes several figures known for vaccine skepticism, reflecting a markedly different composition from prior years and fueling questions about how future guidelines will be framed.

In a parallel development, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is examining 25 reported deaths in young people occurring after vaccination with either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, officials said. The FDA is seeking data on vaccine safety in pregnancy and has noted that some information circulating in public discussions originates from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a voluntary and unverified reporting database. Federal health officials have stressed that VAERS reports do not establish causation and require follow-up investigations to determine whether a vaccine contributed to a given outcome.

VAERS data have drawn attention for reports of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, after vaccination. Federal figures indicate that such adverse events are rare, estimated at about one case per 125,000 shots, but the sheer volume of reports has kept myocarditis near the center of public discussion about vaccine safety.

Separately, ACIP voted 8-3 to change the scheduling for the combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine. For children four years old and younger, the panel said they should receive the separate measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and varicella vaccines rather than the combined MMRV shot. The decision did not withdraw any vaccine from approval, and it does not imply new safety concerns about the vaccines themselves; rather, it reflects a preference for separate administration in this age group.

Health officials and public health experts have stressed that the shift toward individual decision-making does not equate to a withdrawal of vaccines from availability or a reduction in access under the ACA. Rather, the guidance underscores a recalibration of how vaccination is recommended and presented to the public, with clinicians and patients urged to discuss risk factors, exposure, and underlying health conditions when considering vaccination.

The developments come amid ongoing questions about how best to communicate vaccine science in an era of polarized debates. Public health groups say clear, evidence-based guidance remains essential, while critics argue for greater emphasis on personal autonomy and risk assessment. As the CDC awaits final sign-off from its acting director, stakeholders are watching closely to see how insurers, employers, and health systems respond to the revised framework for Covid vaccination.