U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced that COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move that has sparked sharp criticism from public health experts.
In a short video posted on social media, Kennedy said he had removed the groups from the CDC's official guidance. However, no CDC officials appeared in the video, and no scientific data or detailed explanation accompanied the announcement. The Department of Health and Human Services has not yet commented on how the decision was made.
Health professionals expressed concern over the abrupt change, which bypasses the usual scientific review process
The CDC has been recommending annual COVID boosters for nearly all age groups. Experts have been discussing the possibility of narrowing that to high-risk groups, but the official advisory panel has not yet made a formal decision. That panel is expected to meet in June.
Kennedy, once known for his anti-vaccine stance, has made several policy changes since taking office under President Trump. Last week, the FDA also introduced new limits, approving routine COVID vaccines only for seniors and people with medical risks — not healthy adults or children.
Doctors warn the latest decision could lead to confusion and reduced vaccine access, especially for those still at risk. They also pushed back on the idea that pregnancy is not a risk factor for COVID. "That is simply incorrect," said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Medical experts maintain that vaccines remain a crucial tool for protecting both pregnant women and young children, especially as the virus continues to circulate.
Kenya has recorded a second death from Ebola, the health ministry said late on Friday, as the outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Con...
Gunmen opened fire on mourners at a church funeral in southern Jordan on Friday, killing at least seven people in a rare attack on the country&rsqu...
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described a deadly shooting in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, as a racist a...
Saudi Aramco has ordered staff to evacuate its headquarters amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Two people were killed in an attack on Dammam airport, while Iran's IRGC Navy claimed strikes on seven vessels and warned the U.S. of a wider response.
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Palestinians that left two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israeli military.
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight killed at least two people and injured 15 others, including two children, Ukrainian authorities said. Meanwhile, Russia said it had intercepted the vast majority of 630 Ukrainian drones launched towards Moscow.
Super typhoon Champi is set to batter Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture from Friday (23 October), bringing violent winds, torrential rain and waves up to 11 metres high, as airlines cancel flights and organisers scrap a major festival.
A powerful magnitude 7 earthquake has struck Tibet in southwestern China, killing 16 people and injuring 65, while forcing more than 12,000 residents to relocate as rescue teams respond to widespread aftershocks.
Visitors to Armenia could face temperature screening after a lab worker died from suspected Pneumonic plague in Russia, Yerevan’s Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan told lawmakers on Wednesday, Armenian state news agency Armenpress reported.
Health advice now reaches people through social media, fitness apps, wearable technology and AI. From detoxes and protein-focused diets to skincare and fitness trends, online wellness content is shaping everyday health choices while raising concerns about misinformation and potential risks.
Global cholera deaths reached their highest annual level in more than 20 years in 2025, despite a decline in reported cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Chinese researchers have developed the world’s smallest CT scanner, a portable device designed to produce images of tiny fossils and archaeological relics.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 17 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the field of health.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment