The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the Trump administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has announced a major overhaul of the childhood immunization schedule.
The new guidance recommends fewer routine vaccines for most children and shifts the US closer to Denmark’s leaner vaccination model, marking one of the most significant changes in US vaccine policy in decades.
The updated recommendations take effect immediately and reduce the number of diseases for which routine childhood vaccination is advised from 17 to 11. Federal officials say the move is aimed at restoring public trust, increasing transparency, and emphasizing informed consent, while critics warn it could raise the risk of preventable disease outbreaks.
Complete List of Vaccines Now Recommended by CDC for Children
Under the revised schedule, vaccines are divided into three broad categories based on risk and shared decision-making:
Vaccines the CDC continues to routinely recommend for most children:
- Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
- Polio
- Chickenpox
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Other core childhood immunizations included within the reduced 11-disease schedule
Vaccines now recommended only for high-risk children:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Meningococcal ACWY
- Meningococcal B
- Dengue
Vaccines to be decided through shared clinical decision-making with a healthcare provider:
- Influenza (flu)
- Covid-19
- Rotavirus
The CDC has dropped universal recommendations for rotavirus, Covid-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, advising that parents consult healthcare providers before proceeding. Officials stressed that no vaccines are being banned or removed, and all CDC-recommended vaccines will remain available and fully covered by insurance without cost-sharing.
Why Is the New Vaccine Schedule More Like Denmark?
US health officials say the revised schedule more closely mirrors Denmark’s approach, which recommends routine childhood vaccination for fewer diseases and relies more on education than mandates. Denmark currently does not recommend routine childhood vaccination against rotavirus, hepatitis A, meningococcal disease, flu, chickenpox or RSV.
The shift follows President Donald Trump’s executive order directing HHS to review global vaccine schedules, calling the US system “ridiculous” and urging alignment with other developed nations. Kennedy said the changes reflect an “exhaustive review of the evidence” and are designed to rebuild trust in public health institutions.
However, public health experts have cautioned that Denmark’s model may not translate well to the US due to differences in population size, healthcare access and epidemiology. Critics argue that reducing routine vaccinations could endanger children, particularly those with limited access to healthcare, and increase the risk of outbreaks.