Understanding the CDC’s Updated Childhood Vaccination Schedule

Despite some confusion, new updates continue to promote child protection and safety.

By Dr. John Henderson, II, Chief Medical Officer, Barbour Community Health Association

Routine vaccinations remain one of the most effective public health tools for preventing serious illness in individuals of all ages. They are especially important for children to promote immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases and to meet school enrollment requirements. 

As vaccine research and policies evolve, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) periodically update the vaccine recommendation schedule. 

While the CDC has traditionally updated the vaccine schedule based on the latest scientific research, the most recent changes, announced in 2025 and earlier this year, are intended to bring the U.S. in line with the vaccine recommendations of other industrialized nations. 

As consultation with a healthcare provider is now a recommended prerequisite for some vaccines, the new recommended schedule also places more vaccination decisions in the hands of parents and caregivers. 

But for all the change (and confusion) associated with the CDC’s updated vaccination schedule, children can still get the same vaccinations that have been available in the past.

What’s Changed in the CDC Vaccination Schedule

Prior to the changes to the vaccination schedule, the CDC recommended 17 routine childhood vaccinations. Now, that number has been reduced to 11.

The vaccines recommended for all children now include those for chickenpox, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), HPV (with the number of recommended doses reduced to one, instead of two or three), measles, mumps, pneumococcal, polio, rubella, tetanus, and whooping cough.  

Additional changes include dividing vaccines into categories. These categories include the vaccines recommended as routine for all children (the 11 listed above) and vaccines recommended for those at high-risk, including RSV and dengue. Factors that can place a child at high risk include other underlying illnesses, exposure to the disease, and the potential risk of transmission to others.

The changes also introduce a category of vaccines that are recommended upon “shared clinical decision-making.” In other words, these particular vaccines are recommended only after a parent or caregiver has consulted with the child’s medical provider. Vaccines in this category include those for COVID-19, influenza, and rotavirus.

Taken together, these changes are the most sweeping in many years. They also have sown controversy. 

More than a dozen states have sued the CDC over the new recommendations, claiming that they pose “an immediate threat to public health.” 

The American Academy of Pediatrics, which has also denounced the new vaccine recommendations, has released its own recommendations, which include 18 recommended vaccines for all children, as opposed to the CDC’s 11. 

What Hasn’t Changed

Parents and caregivers can rest assured that the new recommendations won’t impact the availability of vaccines for their children. While changes of this magnitude can be confusing, it’s worth pointing out that some important things haven’t changed, including the following:

Parents Can Still Choose to Follow the Prior Recommendations 

First and foremost, the CDC’s childhood vaccination schedule is a slate of recommendations about which vaccines should be administered. 

Parents and caregivers can still opt to follow the now-replaced recommended vaccination schedule. In doing so, they should discuss their options with their child’s healthcare provider. 

All Recategorized Vaccines are Still Available

This new schedule does not, in any way, prohibit or make unavailable any of the vaccines previously recommended as routine before the changes in 2025 and earlier this year. 

All the Recategorized Vaccines are Still Covered by Insurance

Not only are the reclassified vaccines still available, but they also, for the most part, remain either free or highly affordable. 

Except for the second and third doses of the HPV vaccine, which the CDC now doesn’t deem necessary, all vaccines that have been reclassified and are no longer recommended are still covered by Medicaid and most major insurance providers. 

School Vaccination Requirements Remain Unchanged 

While there has been a movement to expand exemptions to the state’s vaccine requirements for students enrolled in public schools and colleges in West Virginia, the vaccine requirements remain in place. 

This being the case, parents and caregivers must continue to ensure children meet all school vaccination requirements for their respective ages and grade levels.

BCHA’s Commitment to Children’s Health

We at Barbour Community Health Association applaud parents and caregivers taking an active role in their children’s health and wellness.  We also believe that vaccines are important to keeping our children and young people healthy and protecting our communities against vaccine-preventable diseases. 

We urge every parent and caregiver to schedule annual well-child visits with one of our providers and to keep their children up to date on their vaccinations.  

We’re here to answer questions and help you both make sense of the current vaccine recommendations and make the best decisions for your child.

And remember, because vaccine schedules can be challenging to track, it’s best to consult your child’s pediatrician or provider to ensure they are up to date on their vaccines and can receive any vaccines for which they are due.

Contact a BCHA location to schedule an annual well-child visit with one of our providers.