The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are defending their decision to update vaccine guidelines and recommendations.
“Don’t let media histrionics mislead you: this season’s respiratory illness activity has been comparable to last season’s, even with a 15% increase in holiday travel according to TSA screening data,” HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said, defending the decision to remove the universal flu shot recommendation. He explained that the updated immunization schedule for children “adjusted the annual pediatric flu vaccination from a universal recommendation to shared clinical decision-making,” allowing the pediatric flu vaccination decision to be “based on individual patient characteristics as opposed to population-wide factors.”
“Some randomized controlled trials show reduced flu infection. Like all immunizations on the childhood schedule, the pediatric flu vaccine is covered by insurance for whoever chooses it,” he further stated. “We’ve empowered parents and health care providers to choose the best course of action for each child.”
HHS confirmed that it made “zero changes to flu vaccine access, supply, or coverage,” noting, “Misinformation during flu season helps no one.”
The statement comes as HHS scaled back its recommended inoculations, dropping them from 17 to 10. The ten vaccines are considered to be of international consensus and include diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and human papillomavirus (HPV). HHS also recommends that children receive the chickenpox vaccine. High-risk groups are recommended to receive the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, dengue, meningococcal ACWY, and meningococcal B vaccines.
