Maryland Rejects CDC’s New Childhood Vaccine Recommendations, Will Use AAP Guidelines Instead

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Tuesday that it was eliminating six vaccines from its recommended childhood vaccine schedule. In response, the Maryland Department of Health announced that it will continue using the childhood vaccine guidelines as determined by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), following the original schedule.

Going forward, the CDC will advise that children receive 11 vaccines, down from the current 17. Rotavirus, COVID-19, hepatitis A and B, and meningitis were dropped from the list. The seasonal flu shot was also removed and will instead be provided only to “high-risk” children or with a health care provider’s waiver. The AAP maintains the original vaccine schedule and 17 recommended vaccines.

“President Trump directed us to examine how other developed nations protect their children and to take action if they are doing better,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a press release. “After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.”

Some public health professionals have raised concerns about the updated federal guidelines. They note that countries used for comparison have different public health systems and smaller populations. They also warn that removing vaccines from the schedule could lead to reduced confidence in routine immunizations, despite long-standing research into vaccine safety by independent scientific organizations worldwide.

“Vaccines remain one of the most powerful and effective tools we have to protect children, adults, and entire communities from serious and preventable diseases,” Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani said in a statement. “Our childhood vaccine schedule will continue to follow the guidance of the American Academy of Pediatrics, last updated Nov. 21, 2025, which is based on decades of science and evidence-based recommendations.”

“Maryland remains firmly committed to immunization as a core public health priority and will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure broad vaccine access in the state.”

As for the logistics of vaccine access, local administrations are considering the data on where and how people get vaccinated — and what impacts these changes may have, especially regarding seasonal flu shots, which are widely available at pharmacies and doctors’ offices.

Calvert County’s Health Officer Dr. Nimfa Teneza-Mora said that the Calvert County Health Department is currently reviewing how the recent vaccine schedule changes may impact access to free flu shots at local pharmacies for all ages.

This is not the first time Maryland has differed from the CDC under the current federal administration. In October, the state joined the Northeast Public Health Collaborative to develop its own health recommendations. The collaborative aims to broaden access to health care and ensure that public health decisions are based on scientific evidence, as outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

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