CDC changes childhood immunization schedule, removing universal recommendation for multiple shots

Hepatitis, flu, COVID and RSV shots are no longer universally recommended.

By Youri Benadjaoud and Mary Kekatos

January 5, 2026, 12:42 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Monday it is changing the childhood immunization schedule.

The federal health agency is removing the universal recommendation for multiple shots, in what it calls an attempt to mirror the schedules of peer countries.

Instead of being universally recommended for almost all children at certain age cut offs, vaccines are now split into three categories: vaccines for all children, vaccines for certain high-risk groups and vaccines based on shared clinical decision making.

Shared clinical decision making is the term used by CDC to imply that patients, and parents, should talk to their provider about whether they should be vaccinated. 

Some of the vaccines and immunizations that are no longer universally recommended include RSV, flu and COVID, as well as the hepatitis and meningococcal vaccines. 

For children not in certain high-risk groups, no vaccine is recommended before the age of two months.

The change comes after President Donald Trump signed a memo in early December last year directing Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to examine how other nations structure their childhood vaccine schedules. 

HHS officials say the change will not affect health insurance coverage of vaccines. 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.