Medical News Today engaged with Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a board-certified pediatrician affiliated with Providence Saint John's Health Center, and Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist from the University of California, San Francisco, to address the implications of recent modifications to the COVID-19 vaccine guidelines.

### Emergence of a New Variant The revisions to the immunization schedule have generated inquiries and concern, particularly as the U.S. faces a more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant, NB.1.8.1. This development follows a publication by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials in The New England Journal of Medicine. The article recommends that COVID-19 vaccination efforts should prioritize older adults and individuals at elevated risk of severe illness.

### Changes in Vaccination Recommendations On May 27, 2025, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced via social media that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would cease recommending COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant individuals and healthy children. Dr. Gandhi expressed her reservations about excluding healthy pregnant women from vaccination guidelines, emphasizing their relative immunocompromised status, which heightens their risk of severe COVID-19.

### Implications for Pregnant Individuals Dr. Ganjian warns that withholding COVID-19 vaccines from pregnant individuals could eliminate a crucial intervention that mitigates risks such as severe COVID-19, intensive care unit admissions, preterm birth, and perinatal mortality. The absence of vaccination could potentially escalate the likelihood of pregnancy-related complications.

### Considerations for Children Dr. Gandhi supports vaccinating children lacking prior immunity, either from previous infection or vaccination, to shield them from health risks. She notes that children with previous immunity might not require additional COVID-19 vaccinations, but those without such immunity could face exposure to the virus. Despite changes in recommendations, children with immunocompromising conditions or significant comorbidities may still access vaccines under specific clinical directives, contingent on regulatory and public health policies.

### Pediatric Vaccination Advocacy The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to advocate for COVID-19 vaccination for all children aged six months and older, citing its effectiveness against severe outcomes. Dr. Ganjian cautions that removing vaccine recommendations for children could elevate the risk of severe COVID-19, hospitalizations, and complications like multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), especially among those with pre-existing health conditions.

### Public Health Implications The potential withdrawal of broad vaccination recommendations may indicate a shift in risk evaluation, possibly due to changes in virus epidemiology, variant severity, or vaccine efficacy. Dr. Ganjian warns that such a change could increase morbidity among vulnerable groups. Dr. Gandhi advocates for a nuanced strategy that prioritizes the health and safety of pregnant individuals by continuing to offer them vaccine boosters.