Democracy Dies in Darkness

CDC blindsided as RFK Jr. changes covid-19 vaccine recommendations

Agency officials were not aware that the HHS secretary was going to change the recommended vaccine schedule.

5 min
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addresses a Senate panel this month. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s surprise announcement Tuesday ending coronavirus vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women blindsided the agency that offers that advice, according to current and former federal health officials.

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Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are scrambling to understand Kennedy’s decision, announced in a 58-second video on X on Tuesday morning, which took agency staff by surprise.

What readers are saying

The comments express strong disapproval of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent changes in vaccine recommendations, highlighting his lack of medical qualifications and perceived disregard for scientific consensus. Many commenters criticize his unilateral decision-making and fear the... Show more
This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.
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Lena H. Sun is a staff writer covering health with a focus on public health/infectious disease. Email: lena.sun@washpost.com. Or reach her securely on Signal @LenaSun.04@bylenasun
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