San Diego County health officials said on Thursday they will continue to follow the childhood vaccine schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the California Department of Public Health, and the West Coast Health Alliance despite new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
On Monday, the CDC updated its childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule, reducing the number of vaccines routinely recommended and reorganizing them into routine, risk-based, or shared decision-making categories. The changes were made without the usual input from pediatric and vaccine advisory groups.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend any changes in the vaccine schedule,” said Dr. John Bradley, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Rady Children’s Hospital. “We wish (the CDC had) presented their recommendations in one of our regular meetings, and we would have had a chance to discuss it.”
Despite the federal changes, Bradley said the science behind childhood vaccines hasn’t changed. That includes six vaccines the CDC is no longer recommending.
“We believe the vaccines for RSV, hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, flu and meningococcus should continue to be given,” he said.
The CDC changes put additional pressure on parents, Bradley said.
“Parents don't know all the questions to ask. They're parents. That's their job. They're not medical professionals who've spent their lives reviewing vaccine data and coming up with recommendations,” he said.
The measles vaccine is still recommended, but cases have surged this year because of lower vaccination rates. Bradley said he’s already seeing the consequences.
“I started my career before the measles vaccines were around. I hadn't seen a case of measles for decades, until just recently, in an unimmunized kid. And it brought back to me just how horrible measles is.” Bradley said.
County officials said vaccines are covered by insurance and available through county public health clinics for families without coverage.
