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CDC Updates the Recommended Childhood Vaccine Schedule
What has Changed and What Stays the Same

January 5, 2025: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released an official fact sheet announcing updates to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) childhood and adolescent immunization schedule following a scientific review comparing U.S. practices with those of other peer, developed nations.

The full HHS fact sheet can be read here (full URL): [link removed] [[link removed]]

Below is a clear summary of what is changing, how it is changing, and what remains the same, based directly on that statement and related CDC guidance.

Vaccines Still Recommended for All Children

The CDC will continue to recommend routine vaccination for all children against the following diseases, which HHS states have broad international consensus:

* Diphtheria
* Tetanus
* Acellular pertussis (whooping cough)
* Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
* Pneumococcal disease
* Polio
* Measles
* Mumps
* Rubella
* Human papillomavirus (HPV)
* Varicella (chickenpox)

HHS states that these vaccines now make up the core childhood immunization schedule, focused on protecting against diseases associated with serious illness or mortality in children.

As part of this update, the CDC is recommending one dose of the HPV vaccine, rather than the prior two-dose schedule.

Vaccines No Longer Universally Recommended for All Children: How the guidance has changed

Several vaccines that were previously recommended for all children by default are no longer part of the routine universal schedule. These vaccines have not been removed or banned, but instead have been reclassified into more targeted categories.

As a result, the routine childhood schedule now involves substantially fewer routine doses than under the prior framework.

Vaccines Now Recommended Through Shared Clinical Decision-Making

For these vaccines, the CDC states that it is not always possible for public health authorities to clearly define who will benefit. Decisions are intended to be made jointly by families and healthcare providers based on individual circumstances:

* COVID-19
* Influenza
* Hepatitis A
* Hepatitis B
* Rotavirus
* Meningococcal ACWY
* Meningococcal B

Vaccines Now Recommended for Certain High-Risk Groups or Populations

These vaccines are recommended when a child has specific risk factors, such as underlying medical conditions, exposure risks, or particular epidemiological circumstances:

* Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
* Hepatitis A, for defined risk scenarios such as travel or outbreaks
* Hepatitis B, for infants born to mothers who are positive or whose status is unknown
* Dengue
* Meningococcal vaccines for defined risk groups

HHS emphasizes that these vaccines remain available and covered by insurance, even though they are no longer universally recommended.

What Has Not Changed

No vaccines have been eliminated or removed from availability, and all diseases covered under the prior immunization schedule will continue to be covered by insurance through Affordable Care Act–compliant plans and federal programs, including Medicaid, CHIP, and the Vaccines for Children program. Families will not be required to pay out of pocket for vaccines that remain on the CDC schedule.

Why the CDC Says This Change Was Made

According to HHS, prior to this update the United States recommended more childhood vaccine doses than any other peer nation. The scientific review found that many countries with fewer routine recommendations maintain vaccination rates comparable to those with broader schedules.

HHS frames the revised schedule as an effort to align U.S. recommendations with international consensus, better tailor vaccination guidance to individual risk, support shared decision-making between families and providers, and improve transparency and public trust in immunization guidance.

Next Steps

The CDC is expected to publish updated immunization schedules for healthcare providers outlining vaccines recommended for all children, vaccines recommended for certain high-risk groups or populations, and vaccines recommended through shared clinical decision-making.

HHS has also stated it will work with states and physician groups to educate families and providers, and that the CDC will continue monitoring vaccine uptake, infectious disease trends, and vaccine safety.

What This Means for California

Even with changes at the federal level, California does not automatically adopt CDC recommendations. Earlier this year, California shifted vaccine policymaking authority to the California Department of Public Health through the passage of AB 144 and the creation of the Western States Health Alliance. Because of this, AVFCA does not expect immediate changes to California’s current childhood immunization recommendations.

It is also important to note that these federal and state-level changes do not alter California’s existing school immunization requirements for the vaccines covering the 10 diseases currently required for school attendance.

If California updates its guidance in response to these federal changes, A Voice for Choice Advocacy will notify our community right away.



Overall, this national decision reflects a shift toward more individualized guidance, recognizing that one-size-fits-all policies are not always appropriate and reinforcing the importance of shared decision-making between families and healthcare providers. AVFCA will continue to advocate for transparency, informed consent, and respect for families as true partners in their children’s healthcare.

If you found this information helpful and appreciate the work A Voice for Choice Advocacy is doing, please support us by making a donation today.

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C
Christina Hildebrand
President/Founder
A Voice for Choice Advocacy, Inc.
[email protected] [[email protected]]
www.AVoiceForChoiceAdvocacy.org [[link removed]]
www.avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org [www.avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org]
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