Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently suggested that it might be a “better thing” for fewer children to receive the flu vaccine. This statement came during an interview with CBS News, following significant changes in childhood vaccine recommendations announced by the Trump administration.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed this week that vaccinations for respiratory syncytial virus, meningococcal disease, flu, and COVID-19 are now only recommended for children at high risk of serious illness. These new guidelines require a consultation between parents and healthcare providers before proceeding with vaccinations, a departure from the previous recommendation that all individuals aged six months and older receive the annual flu vaccine.
Kennedy emphasized in the interview that access to the flu vaccine remains unchanged for those who choose to receive it. “If you want to get the vaccine, you can get it. It’s gonna be fully covered by insurance, just like it was before,” he stated.
Despite maintaining that the vaccine is still available, Kennedy acknowledged that the updated process could lead to fewer children receiving the flu vaccine. “You have to… do shared decision making with your physician, which is how it ought to be,” he explained.
When pressed by CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes on whether this change could result in increased flu-related fatalities among children, Kennedy cited statistics indicating that approximately 280 to 290 children died due to the flu in the previous year. He claimed, “There is no evidence that any kids died or were harmed due to the flu vaccine.”
Kennedy referenced a meta-review conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration, a UK-based health research nonprofit, which he claimed found no evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious disease or reduces hospitalizations and deaths in children.
However, this view contrasts sharply with the broader medical consensus. The CDC, as recently as last year, highlighted studies demonstrating that the flu vaccine significantly decreases the risk of severe outcomes, including hospitalizations and fatalities among children. Cordes noted that roughly 90% of children who died from the flu in 2024 had not been vaccinated, according to CDC data.
In response to Cordes’s concerns about the potential consequences of fewer vaccinations, Kennedy reiterated his position, stating, “There is no scientific evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious illness, hospitalizations, or death in children.”
This interview is part of a broader discussion about vaccine safety and efficacy, which will continue to air on “CBS Evening News” tonight with Tony Dokoupil. As the public examines these claims, the debate over childhood vaccinations remains a critical topic in health policy and public health discussions.
