California health officials and officials in other West Coast states rejected a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to scale back routine childhood vaccinations.
The CDC announced on Monday that it is rolling back its recommendation that all children be vaccinated against the flu, hepatitis A, meningococcal disease, rotavirus and RSV, instead recommending that only some high-risk children or children who have consulted a doctor receive the vaccine. The CDC similarly scaled back its recommendations for the COVID and hepatitis B vaccines for infants last year. Both decisions were made without new scientific evidence.
“This decision did not follow established procedure for vaccine policy recommendations and threatens an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases in children nationwide,” the California Department of Public Health said in a statement. “Children getting sick from the diseases prevented by recommended immunizations leads to missed school for children, missed work for parents, and even hospitalization and death in some children.”
California, along with Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, said it will continue to follow the childhood vaccine schedule endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. California schools entering kindergarten through 12th grade and licensed child care programs must still receive these vaccinations for diphtheria, polio, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox).