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.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” i...
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has left for France for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with Paris, including a summit with Frenc...
Adidas is facing calls for a boycott after featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton in a campaign for its Single Shoe Service, as critics ques...
An eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at Jakarta’s main airport on Sunday.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Two Greek military pilots were killed on Saturday when an F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show at Tanagra air base, north of Athens, officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end the Ukraine war.
Prescriptions for GLP-1 weight-loss medicines among U.S. children aged eight to 11 have increased more than 300-fold since 2019, highlighting both the growing burden of childhood obesity and the debate over how early these drugs should be used.
Australia has confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in a mammal after the virus was detected in a dead long-nosed fur seal in South Australia, authorities said.
Malaysia is facing a sharp rise in dengue infections, with the capital Kuala Lumpur and the wider Klang Valley emerging as the main centres of concern.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 5,000 confirmed cases, with the death toll reaching 2,378, according to the latest government data.
The Democratic Republic of Congo says the number of confirmed Ebola cases has risen to more than 5,000, with more than 2,300 deaths. Delayed detection, weak surveillance, funding shortages and conflict have allowed the virus to spread faster than in any previous epidemic at the same stage.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment