The health secretary said it ’shouldn’t be making recommendations that are not good for the population.’
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on April 23 did not deny that he’s considering removing COVID-19 vaccines from the childhood vaccination schedule.
“We need to ask questions and we need to consult with parents, we need to give people informed consent, and we shouldn’t be making recommendations that are not good for the population,” Kennedy said during an appearance on Fox News.
Politico, citing anonymous sources, reported this week that Kennedy is mulling the removal of COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s schedule for children.
An official with the Department of Health and Human Services, which Kennedy heads, told The Epoch Times in an email that “no final decision has been made.”
The CDC, which is part of the department, did not return an inquiry.
Kennedy said on Fox that President Donald Trump does not believe any person should be required to receive a vaccine, and noted that all vaccines carry risks.
“The COVID vaccine, the recommendation for kids was always dubious,” Kennedy said. “And it was dubious because kids had almost no risk for COVID-19. Some kids—certain kids that had very profound morbidities—may have a slight risk. Most kids don’t, so why are we giving this to tens of millions of kids? Because the vaccine itself does have profound risks.”
Kennedy noted that established side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine include a form of heart inflammation called myocarditis and a related condition called pericarditis. He also pointed out that 15 vaccinated participants in Pfizer’s clinical trial died, compared to 14 participants who did not receive the company’s vaccine.
Three COVID-19 vaccines are currently available for use in the United States—one from Pfizer, one from Moderna, and one from Novavax.
Advisers to the CDC recommended in 2022 that the agency add COVID-19 vaccines to the schedule, concluding that the benefits of the shots outweighed the risks. The CDC in 2023 added it to the schedule.
The schedule says that all children who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine should receive at least one dose, depending on their age, while those who have received a vaccine in the past should receive at least one additional dose. Unlike many vaccines on the schedule, the COVID-19 vaccine has not been made compulsory for school attendance in states.
