The US government’s health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has stopped recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant people. This decision was announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who shared it on social media alongside other experts.
Kennedy claimed that healthy children should not receive another COVID shot, despite lack of evidence to support this strategy. However, the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices did not meet or vote on the changes recommended by Kennedy.
The move could affect insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines. Without insurance, Pfizer and Moderna shots can cost up to $150 per dose. Medicaid will cover full-price vaccines, but children who are insured may need a separate program to get free vaccinations.
Health experts worry that this decision will make it harder for millions of Americans to access COVID-19 vaccines. “As ob-gyns who treat patients every day, we have seen firsthand how dangerous COVID-19 infection can be during pregnancy and for newborns who depend on maternal antibodies from the vaccine for protection,” said Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The decision comes as the national COVID emergency ended in 2020, meaning vaccines are no longer free. The CDC’s guidance determines what private insurers cover, affecting insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/11/a-covid-vaccine-could-soon-cost-as-much-as-150even-if-youre-insured.html