By Zamone Perez
As the Trump administration moves to revamp U.S. childhood vaccination policy, health experts said it could be detrimental to children and the country.
An order by President Donald Trump reduced the federally recommended vaccine schedule from 18 to 11. Vaccines for hepatitis A and B, RSV, and bacterial meningitis were among those taken off the list. The administration recommended a more spread-out vaccine schedule and single-dose vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella, which are commonly combined into a shared dose.
Jenna Reimenschneider, vice president of advocacy and policy for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, said the orders are not based in science.
“This executive order just continues to sow confusion and uncertainty in vaccine safety at a time where it’s absolutely critical that we improve childhood vaccination rates,” Reimenschneider stressed.
The Trump administration argued the new guidance gives parents more control and aligns the U.S. with other industrialized countries’ vaccine policies. Trump also made unfounded claims about links between vaccines and autism.
The suggestion to spread out vaccinations is meeting resistance in the medical community. Health experts argued the spread-out vaccine schedule can put a heavy burden on parents’ schedules and finances.
Reimenschneider added the multivisit requirement will create an environment where children are regularly behind on vaccinations, creating a public health risk.
“That’s time off of work, that’s transportation, that’s additional co-pays for a visit potentially,” Reimenschneider observed. “That is a real issue and is going to have lasting repercussions that ultimately will result in kids having fewer vaccinations, being off schedule. It’s very concerning.”
While counties across Virginia report childhood immunizations at above 95%, pockets of rural areas across the commonwealth fall well below the 95% threshold needed to achieve herd immunity.
New orders by the Trump administration threaten legal action against states refusing to offer religious or personal exemptions to vaccines. (Adobe Stock)
