Health leaders still recommend child vaccines despite HHS changing vaccine schedule
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- On Monday, Jan. 5, the US Department of Health and Human Services revised the childhood vaccination schedule.
HHS is no longer recommending vaccines for several illnesses, including the flu. The Trump administration says it reduces the number of shots a child could receive.
But the decision is sparking criticism from the medical community, political opponents, and even fellow Republicans.
Vaccines for many major illnesses are still recommended, like polio, measles, and tetanus. But vaccines for hepatitis A and B are no longer broadly recommended, and a health care provider must be consulted to get a flu shot.
In a social media post, the President wrote, "Parents can still choose to give their children all of the Vaccinations, if they wish, and they will still be covered by insurance."
But many health experts worry the changes could spark new outbreaks of preventable diseases.
Dr. Celine Gounder, the CBS News medical contributor, said, "This is not a safety question. These vaccines are safe."
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is a doctor. Cassidy posted about children who had recently died from measles and whooping cough, writing, "All of this was preventable with safe and effective vaccines."
Cassidy added the vaccine schedule is not a mandate and changing it "based on no scientific input on safety risks and little transparency will cause unnecessary fear for patients and doctors, and will make America sicker."
Cassidy was among the Republicans who confirmed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as HHS secretary.
The Milwaukee Health Department cautioned "changes to federal guidance can create confusion."
A statement from the department said MHD "continues to strongly support routine childhood immunizations."
It continued: "Vaccines have a long, well-established safety record and play a critical role in community health by reducing outbreaks and protecting those who are most vulnerable."
The changes to the vaccine schedule come amid the highest level of respiratory illness in the US since at least the 1997-98 flu season.
So far this season, the CDC estimates at least 120,000 people have been hospitalized with the flu and at least 5,000 people have died.
Right now, 46 of 50 states have high or very high flu activity, including Wisconsin.
Gounder said Monday, "One of the concerns I have here is that when they say some of these vaccines would be more strongly recommended for an infant or child who's high risk - very often, we don't even realize someone is high risk until they develop a severe infection that can lead to hospitalization and death. And do we really want to wait for those infections to occur?"
Health officials blame the subclade K variant of the flu for the most severe cases so far. Preliminary studies show this year's flu shots are between 30%-40% effective at preventing hospitalizations.