The Department of Health and Human Services announced on 5 January 2026 a major overhaul of the childhood immunization schedule. This policy shift drastically reduces the number of vaccines routinely recommended for all children in the United States today.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the primary goal of this overhaul is to restore public trust. Specifically, by focusing on essential vaccines, the administration hopes to align the United States more closely with standards used in European nations.
New guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have trimmed down the list of universally recommended vaccines from 17 to 11. This marks a departure from decades of public health policy that expanded the number of routine shots.
Vaccine shots for measles, mumps, and rubella are still recommended by the CDC. Other remaining universal vaccines include those for polio, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. These are considered the most vital for maintaining the general public health.
Revamped Vaccine Schedule
The revamped schedule is now structured into three distinct segments to help guide parents:
• Universal: The first segment or category is universal. It includes vaccine shots for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, among others. These are recommended for every child to ensure a baseline of protection against the most dangerous infectious childhood diseases.
• High-Risk: The second tier is for high-risk individuals. The category specifically targets vulnerable groups rather than the whole population. For example, vaccines for RSV and Hepatitis B are now recommended only for certain infants who meet specific clinical criteria defined by the CDC.
• Additional: The third category of vaccine schedule now involves shared clinical decision-making between parents and their doctors. Certain vaccines are no longer considered routine or mandatory for school entry. Instead, they are optional based on the specific health needs and preferences of a family.
The full list of vaccine shots for the universal schedule includes measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib, pneumococcal disease, and HPV. Note that the CDC universally recommends these for all U.S. children and adolescents.
On the other hand, for the high-risk category, the recommended vaccine shots include respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue, meningococcal ACWY, and meningococcal B. These were considered based on different risk-benefit profiles of people.
Some of the recommended vaccine shots based on shared clinical decision-making by parents and physicians are similar for the high-risk category. The specific shots include vaccines for rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B.
Note that the CDC further explains that public health explains that it is not always possible for public health authorities to clearly define who will benefit from an immunization, who has the relevant risk factors, or who is at risk for exposure.
Additional Information
In a very notable change, the CDC now recommends only one dose of the HPV vaccine. This replaces the previous standard of two or three doses. This specific adjustment reflects a new interpretation of clinical data regarding long-term efficacy.
Note that the vaccines for seasonal flu and meningitis were moved from the universal list. Rotavirus and Hepatitis A are also no longer default standards. They now fall under the shared clinical decision-making category for healthy children.
The overhaul bypassed the public process usually led by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. HHS officials implemented the changes directly in line with the directive from U.S. President Donald Trump to review the schedules used by peer nations.
All immunizations recommended by the CDC as of 31 December 2025 will continue to be covered by Affordable Care Act insurance plans and federal insurance programs. These include Medicaid, the Health Insurance Program for Children, and the Vaccine for Children Program.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 January 2026. “Fact Sheet: CDC Childhood Immunization Recommendations.” Press Room. Department of Health and Human Services. Available online
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. n.d. Childhood Immunization Schedule by Recommendation Group. Department of Health and Human Services. Available online