Children & Pregnant Women Lose COVID Shield—Is Public Health at Risk?

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has officially removed routine COVID‑19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women—breaking with long-standing public health guidance and sidelining the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Nevada, already struggling with vaccine compliance—just 63 % fully vaccinated and only 26 % boosted—could see coverage dip even further as insurers reconsider coverage without formal CDC backings. UNLV epidemiologist Dr. Brian Labus warns that removing a blanket endorsement may mean families face out-of-pocket expenses or risk leaving vulnerable kids and expectant mothers exposed. Left-leaning experts argue Kennedy’s move subverts established scientific protocols and undermines confidence in health policies . Meanwhile, credible medical societies like ACOG and the Infectious Diseases Society of America continue to affirm vaccine safety during pregnancy and urging maternal immunization. If we care about freedom, we must also care about responsibility—will we support choices that risk community protection or stand firm on evidence-based health?

Source: Time, NPR, Reuters, Las Vegas Sun, Politico, AP, UNLV, NPR