UW researcher reacts to RFK announcement CDC won't recommend COVID-19 vaccine for healthy kids, pregnant women
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The federal government will no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women, U.S. Heath Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced Tuesday. A Wisconsin researcher who helped run clinical trials for the vaccine said he wanted to ensure facts do not get lost in the conversation about whether the policy is wise.
Dr. Bill Hartman, a clinical trialist at UW Health, pointed to findings published in BMJ Global Health which found pregnant women who received the COVID-19 vaccine were 61% less likely to develop COVID-19 during their pregnancy and 94% less likely to be hospitalized with the disease compared to unvaccinated women.
"It's okay to question the efficacy and the necessity of these vaccines, but we really have to make sure that all of the facts are known," Hartman said. "And that the risks for individuals and their families are presented appropriately."
In a video posted to his X account, Kennedy questioned why the Biden administration had continued to recommend the COVID-19 booster shot for healthy kids.
"There's no evidence healthy kids need it today, and most countries have stopped recommending it for children," Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary added in the video posted to Kennedy's X account.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states routine revaccination is not recommended for healthy adults, adolescents and children. Its vaccine safety guidance page says vaccinating children and teens has "limited public health impact."
"Healthy children and adolescents ages six months to 17 years belong to the low-priority group for COVID-19 vaccination," the WHO vaccine guidance page reads.
The WHO does recommend pregnant women get a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for each of their pregnancies.
"Vaccination during pregnancy is safe," the WHO guidance page states. "It also benefits the baby, as it allows the antibodies created to be passed from mother to child."
As of Tuesday evening, the COVID-19 vaccine still showed up as being recommended for all children and teens six months and older on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
Hartman said the most likely impact of the CDC removing the vaccine from its recommended schedule for healthy kids and pregnant women is health care providers will carry fewer doses. That could affect availability, and perhaps the bigger issues for people seeking the vaccine will be cost.
"When these are removed from these lists, it makes it less likely that they will be covered by insurance," Hartman said.
According to the CDC's vaccine price list, the private sector cost of the COVID-19 vaccine ranges from $57.50 for doses going to the youngest kids to $141.80 for doses going to teens and adults.