US Ends Universal Child Vaccine Schedule, Experts Alarmed

The U.S. government has scrapped its long-standing recommendation for all children to receive a standard set of vaccines. The policy change was announced Monday. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. led the shift. It is part of a broader effort by the administration to reshape national immunization policy. Public health experts immediately expressed concern. They warn that without universal guidance, vaccination rates could fall. This may leave children vulnerable to serious, preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. Hospitalizations from these illnesses could rise, they say. The previous guidance was in place for decades. It provided a clear schedule for childhood shots against major diseases.