The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unanimously approved the CDC’s new recommended immunization schedules for adults and children for 2023, which include COVID-19 vaccination.
JUST IN – CDC panel unanimously votes to add COVID-19 mRNA shots to the recommended childhood vaccine schedule in the United States.pic.twitter.com/D9BXgt1fqp
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 19, 2022
Children should begin receiving doses of a COVID-19 vaccine when they are 6 months old, according to the recommended schedule.
Following a brief evaluation period, the doctors’ committee voted with 15 members in favor and none opposed.
According to a CDC spokesperson, regardless of how the ACIP votes, their decision does not change official policy.
This means that the immunization schedule imposes no requirements on anyone. It can, however, influence how states decide which vaccinations children must have in order to attend school.
Critics, on the other hand, claim that the CDC’s recommendation will lead to states requiring the COVID-19 vaccine in addition to others that are already required.
CDC’s pitch for giving COVID shots to children ages 5 to 11: “You’ll get less myocarditis from these shots than your older sibling did.” 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/ghGk0Dueg5
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 20, 2022
In a separate vote on Wednesday afternoon, ACIP decided that the COVID-19 vaccine should be included in VFC.