The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued new guidance recommending COVID-19 vaccination for all children between 6 and 23 months of age, citing strong evidence that even otherwise healthy infants face higher risks of severe illness and hospitalization. The new recommendations also urge pediatricians to prioritize flu and RSV immunizations ahead of the fall respiratory illness season, in order to provide comprehensive protection and reduce hospitalizations and deaths among the youngest children.

This announcement marks the first major break in decades between the nation’s pediatric experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which under U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., recently advised against routine COVID vaccination for most children.

AAP’s decision reflects mounting frustration in the medical community following Kennedy’s dismissal of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the expert body historically responsible for vaccine recommendations. By dismantling trusted advisory panels and seating new members who promote debunked theories, Kennedy is not simply reversing policy — he is actively sowing confusion and undermining public confidence in life-saving vaccines.

“This kind of political disruption puts children directly at risk,” said California Medical Association (CMA) President Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D. “Vaccine guidance must be based on science, not ideology. Physicians and families deserve clear, evidence-driven recommendations they can trust. Thank you to the AAP for being a strong advocate for the health of children.”

CMA has consistently condemned these attacks on science and joined national partners in public advocacy and calls to reinstate independent vaccine advisors. California physicians continue to rely on evidence-based standards to guide patient care, even as federal leadership works to dismantle them.

As the fall respiratory illness season approaches, the AAP’s guidance offers a clear reminder that science-based preventive care remains essential. CMA will continue to support physicians with timely updates and resources, and to press for restoration of independent advisory bodies that ensure patient safety and access to critical vaccines.