COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is releasing new guidelines for childhood vaccines– dropping the number of recommendations from 17 to 11. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. saying in a statement on Monday, “After an exhaustive revi ew of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent.” According to the CDC, only children in high-risk groups will be recommended vaccines for diseases such as RSV, and Hepatitis-A and Hepatitis-B. Health officials say for other seasonal illnesses like Covid and influenza, the decision should be based on “shared clinical decision-making” between physicians and parents. “And I think that this simply just organized it into ways that allow us to discuss with families, ‘What do you think your child’s risk is for this?’ and ‘Here’s what I see as your child’s risk to this,’ says Prisma Health Pediatric Infectious Diseases Dr. Robin LaCroix. She warns, however, that these discussions should not be taken lightly — with 200 U.S. children dying from the flu alone in the 2023-2024 flu season. “One child that dies to a vaccine preventable illness is too many, especially when we have the opportunity to protect them,” says LaCroix. The CDC reports that foundational vaccines will still be recommended for all children. These include ones for whooping cough, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, measles, mumps, and rubella, and chickenpox. “We have been so successful with vaccines that people do not know or remember how devastating so many of these conditions can be. And so helping families understand that preventing these diseases is such an important part of protecting their children,” says Dr. LaCroix. And like the ongoing measles outbreak in the Upstate, Dr. LaCroix says vaccine hesitancy and misleading information has led to a resurgence in diseases once under control. “We are seeing pertussis, we are seeing babies with whooping cough requiring hospitalization and support because they cannot even catch their breath from coughing,” she says. According to the CDC, no vaccines were taken off the schedule entirely, and all vaccines will still be available and covered by the Affordable Care Act and other federal insurance programs. Categories: Local News, News Tags: CDC, Dr. Robin LaCroix, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, VACCINES ...read more read less