Michigan officials recommend COVID-19 shots for pregnant mothers, kids
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is continuing to recommend the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy and for every person 6 months and older, the department announced Monday, despite a change in the federal government’s recommendations this spring.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in late May that COVID-19 vaccines were no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women ― a move that was immediately questioned by several public health experts. Kennedy is a long-time anti-vaccine activist.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the vaccine for children, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises it for pregnant women. MDHHS says its recommendation aligns with this guidance.
“There is strong evidence that supports COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and for pediatric patients,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, in a press release this week.
She said recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that children under 6 months of age are at the highest risk for hospitalization and that more than 40% of those hospitalized had no underlying conditions.
MDHHS said the COVID-19 vaccine remains safe during pregnancy, and vaccination can protect children, women and their infants after birth. The agency added that maternal vaccination during pregnancy can reduce the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization for infants by more than half during the first three months of life.
Emily G. Hilliard, press secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in an email that “as part of the Trump administration’s commitment to common sense,” the COVID-19 vaccine has been removed from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women.
She noted that FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said: “There’s no evidence healthy kids need it today, and most countries stopped recommending it for children.”
“With the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, it is time to move forward. HHS and the CDC remain committed to gold standard science and to ensuring the health and well-being of all Americans—especially our nation’s children—using common sense,” Hilliard said.
But MDHHS says the 2023–2024 vaccine reduced the risk of COVID-19-associated emergency room and urgent care visits by 65-70% for children in the first two months after vaccination.
The agency also noted that the COVID-19 vaccine was approved following rigorous testing and safety review processes, including clinical trials and review by medical experts. It continues to be tested in large clinical trials to ensure it meets established safety standards.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to prevent complications of infection,” Bagdasarian stated. “We urge Michigan residents talk to their health care providers about getting vaccinated.”
Hilliard said no one will be denied access to a licensed vaccine if they choose to receive one. The federal Vaccines for Children program continues to provide COVID-19 vaccines at no cost for eligible children “when the parent, provider, and patient decide vaccination is appropriate,” she said. Medicaid will continue to reimburse the administration fee.
The Associated Press contributed.
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