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News
States are hitting a wall trying to get COVID-19 vaccines for children through the federal Vaccines for Children program — because the CDC hasn't started accepting orders yet. The delay coincides with the Trump administration scaling back vaccine guidance, with the CDC no longer recommending COVID shots for all children. Meanwhile, vaccine hesitancy is climbing and measles outbreaks are spreading.
U.S. states are running into a significant roadblock: the CDC hasn't begun accepting orders for COVID-19 vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which provides free shots to roughly half the nation's kids. Commercially insured patients can already get updated boosters at pharmacies like CVS, but government procurement — which typically kicks off within two weeks of commercial availability — remains stalled.
The holdup is unfolding against a broader policy shift. The Trump administration has pulled back on COVID vaccine guidance, with the CDC dropping its universal recommendation for children and instead telling parents to consult their doctors. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, has been a driving force behind the retreat. A federal judge earlier this year blocked the administration from implementing a narrower vaccine schedule.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With vaccine hesitancy rising and measles making a comeback, delays in COVID vaccine access for children — especially those from lower-income families who depend on the VFC program — could have serious public health consequences heading into fall respiratory virus season.
