Linda Boyle: CDC advisers weigh changes to childhood vaccines and Covid vax guidance

The government’s top vaccine advisers spent two days last week debating how and when Americans — especially children — should be immunized. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which guides the CDC on vaccine policy, weighed changes to measles and chickenpox shots, the timing of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns, and whether Covid shots should remain a matter of personal choice.

Their votes and discussions revealed a growing shift: away from one-size-fits-all mandates and toward flexibility, medical judgment, and parental decision-making, providing the following recommendations to the acting CDC director: 

1. Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella  (MMRV) should not be given as a combination of 4 vaccines to children under four years old. These children should receive the MMR and Varicella (chicken pox) as separate vaccines.  
2. Hepatitis B vaccine: They discussed whether the vaccine should be given at birth (today) or delayed to at least one month after birth. The final decision was delayed to the next meeting.     
3. Covid -19 jab:  It was recommended the Covid-19 jab be a decision between the provider and the patient.  
4. The committee decided there would continue to be no prescription needed for the Covid-19 shot. 

MMRV:  The vote was 8-3 in favor of separating out Varicella (chicken pox) from the MMR shot for those children under the age of four.  Those who dissented felt that by making a child get two shots at age one when the first doses are given would decrease compliance. The ones in favor of separating Varicella from the MMR cited the increase in febrile seizures after the combined dose.  Nowhere did they discuss how much time should be between those two shots.  The recommendation is still that children get their first dose of these vaccines between 12-18 months. The MMRV vaccine would still remain an option for administration of the second dose in children aged 4 and older. 

Hepatitis B:  There was a huge discussion about the “perfect” timing for this shot. Those that wanted to delay the shot stated all pregnant women  are tested for Hepatitis B prior to delivery. And if tested negative, those doctors wanted to delay the shot until the baby was one month old. 

Those who supported the current practice of giving the shot at birth cited the possibility that the mom became infected after the test was done and prior to delivery. Whether the child was delivered by C-section or through the birth canal, if the mom were positive for Hepatitis B, it would be transmitted to the baby.   

Hepatitis B is contracted through bodily or contaminated blood, through dirty needles and unprotected sex with infected person.  

When acquired in infancy, the virus carries up to a 90% risk of progressing to a chronic infection and/or liver cancer in the future.  ACIP voted to delay the decision by an 11-1 vote.  

I do know that a mom who just delivered a baby can refuse the shot for her baby.  However, what information is she given to make that decision? 

Covid Shot.  The committee, unanimously voted for: 

• Individuals 6 months to 64 years: Vaccination based on individual-based decision-making with an emphasis that the risk-benefit of vaccination is most favorable for individuals who are at an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease and lowest for individuals who are not at an increased risk, according to the CDC list of COVID-19 risk factors.
• Adults 65 and older: Vaccination based on individual-based decision-making (also known as shared clinical decision-making). The committee recommended these individuals be told the shot has more benefits for those of increased risk for disease (chronic illnesses). 

The good news is there is no recommendation that you should get the jab—but instead, make the decision for yourself and your family.  Let’s hear it for medical freedom!

Perhaps our Alaskan healthcare systems that still mandate the Covid jab as part of your pre-employment physical will update their stance once these recommendations make it through the approval process. We shall see.

No prescription needed for a Covid shot. 

Half of the committee members wanted a requirement for you to have a prescription to get a Covid jab.  The other half did not want to see that change put in place. The tie was broken by the ACIP chairman Martin Kulldorff and that motion did not pass.  So, still no prescription needed for the Covid shot.

Sadly, although an individual can access the side effects of the shot, most who want the shot will get it without reading the attached literature.  And public service announcements are already telling us it’s time to roll up your sleeve for the Covid shot.  

Lastly and most importantly, there was the “elephant in the room” discussion on whether or not the Vaccine Children Program and insurance companies would cover the Covid shot as the CDC will no longer have a specific requirement. 

ACIP voted to require insurance coverage for the Covid shot to hopefully ease concerns the  new guidance could make it harder to get the jab for those wanting it.

So, Covid shots no longer have a blanket recommendation, but people can still get them should they choose.  Medical freedom for all!

That, of course, did not make the medical associations happy.  “It’s troubling to see the erosion of the committee’s integrity,” said Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, who spoke on behalf of the American Medical Association on Friday.  “We’re concerned about how vaccine recommendations are being developed by this new panel, data is being selectively used to justify specific conclusions.”  Not that selective data hasn’t been used before to justify specific conclusions.

Always, always, follow the money.  These medical organizations and Blue states are coming up with their own recommendations. They used to consider the CDC the gold standard.  

CDC is working at becoming the gold standard again, minus the influence of Big Pharma.  It is a painful process that we are watching unfold.  

Stay informed on how to best manage your own health in these turbulent times.  

And here is one way you can do this:

Dr. Ryan Cole is a return speaker at this year’s annual Alaskans4PersonalFreedom event and his topic is “Be Your Own Best Doctor”.  He’ll describe things you can do to keep yourself healthy.  He is just one of our nationally known speakers. 

For more information go to (https://ak4pf.org/2025-conference/).  This is an all day event with a box lunch for only $55.  Additionally, there will be book door prizes and a chance at split-the-pot to support downtown the Anchorage Soup Kitchen/Hope Center. 

Get informed to protect yourself and your children/grandchildren.

Linda Boyle, RN, MSN, DM, was formerly the chief nurse for the 3rd Medical Group, JBER, and was the interim director of the Alaska VA. She served as Director for Central Alabama VA Healthcare System. She is the director of the Alaskans 4 Personal Freedom.