Extreme Commanders

U.S. will no longer recommend Covid shots for children and pregnant women.

The Covid vaccine will no longer be recommended for healthy children or healthy pregnant women, ending a pandemic-era policy aimed at protecting all Americans from the coronavirus.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the new policy on Tuesday, saying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would drop its yearslong guidance that the vaccine be offered to children 6 months and older.

He also withdrew the additional recommendation for immunizing pregnant women intended to shield mothers and younger infants, who can be at higher risk of severe illness.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that as of today, the Covid vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the C.D.C. recommended immunization schedule,” Mr. Kennedy said in a video he posted on X.

Flanked by Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who lead the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health, Mr. Kennedy said in the video announcement that there was no clinical data to support additional shots for healthy children. No C.D.C. official appeared in the video.

Overall, the absolute numbers of children who became seriously ill from Covid are low. Though children with medical conditions would still qualify for the vaccine, it is unclear whether government programs and private insurance will limit coverage for the shots.

Some public health experts immediately denounced the decision, pointing out that the risk of severe disease and hospitalization among infants is comparable to that among adults 65 and older. Others roundly condemned the decision to stop recommending the shots for pregnant women, who are at high risk of severe illness and complications from Covid.

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Meanwhile...

COVID variant NB.1.8.1 hits U.S. What to know about symptoms, new booster vaccine restrictions

Cases of the new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1, linked to a large surge in China, have been detected in multiple locations across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The earliest cases in the U.S. date back to late March and early April, and were detected through a screening program at airports for arriving international travelers.

"CDC is aware of reported cases of COVID-19 NB.1.8.1 in China and is in regular contact with international partners," a CDC spokesperson said in a statement last week.

The spokesperson said that, so far, too few U.S. sequences have been reported of NB.1.8.1 to be included in the agency's variant estimates dashboard.

But hospitalizations abroad have raised questions about the new variant, its symptoms and more. Here's what to know, according to experts.

NB.1.8.1 is associated with symptoms that are "broadly similar to those seen in earlier strains of the virus," Subhash Verma, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, told CBS News in an emailed statement.

"Data indicates that NB.1.8.1 does not lead to more severe illness compared to previous variants, although it appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily," Verma said. "In other words, it is more transmissible."

Despite the latest variant displaying high transmissibility, the Trump administration is planning to limit booster vaccine access to some groups.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration said it will continue approving COVID-19 vaccine updates for seniors and those with an underlying medical condition, including pregnancy or diabetes, but will require vaccine makers to conduct major new clinical trials before approving them for wider use. The decision means many Americans without underlying conditions may not have access to updated shots this fall.

Verma said these restrictions could have several significant public health impacts.

"Although over 100 million Americans are still expected to qualify under these criteria, the administration's decision introduces new barriers for the broader population," he said. "One immediate concern is that the FDA's requirement for updated clinical trials could delay access to boosters for lower-risk groups, discouraging some individuals from seeking vaccination. The new policy may also create confusion and reduce vaccination rates if people are uncertain about their eligibility or worried about insurance coverage, particularly with high-cost manufacturers planning to charge."

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