Turns Out That RFK Jr.’s Plan to Make America Healthy Again Doesn’t Include Most Pregnant Women or Children

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. introduced Tuesday that the Department of Health and Human Services will now not suggest that “healthy” pregnant girls and kids obtain the COVID vaccine, regardless of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the moment advising that each one Americans six months and older obtain the up to date vaccine, and warning that being pregnant places individuals vulnerable to turning into critically in poor health from the virus, in addition to struggling severe being pregnant problems.

In a sub-60-second video posted on X, Kennedy—who has stated his mind was partially eaten by a worm that crawled inside and died—smiles whereas declaring he “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 CDC-recommended immunization schedule.” He provides: “We’re now one step closer to realizing President Trump’s promise to make America healthy again.”

National Institutes of Health director Jay Bhattacharya, who additionally seems within the video, as does Food and Drug Administration commissioner Martin Makary, calls the choice “common sense” and “good science.” Makary claims, “There’s no evidence healthy kids need it today, and most countries have stopped recommending it for children.”

As The Washington Post notes, “the social media post did not offer a detailed explanation about the move.” Georges C. Benjamin, the manager director of the American Public Health Association, informed the outlet he was unaware of any knowledge supporting Kennedy and Co.’s claims. “Are they making this decision without going to any of their advisory committees?” Benjamin stated. “Show us the evidence, the studies that have been done.… I don’t know of any.”

In truth, the CDC has beforehand stated pregnant persons are at greater danger of turning into very in poor health from COVID and are at an elevated danger of being pregnant problems—together with stillbirth. Last 12 months, a examine from the Cleveland Clinic, printed in The EMBO Journal, confirmed that “mild and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections can trigger immune responses in a pregnant individual that may cause serious inflammatory responses in the developing fetus.” Receiving the vaccine throughout being pregnant additionally offers safety for new child infants, who’re at excessive danger of growing severe problems. “It’s really concerning,” Sean O’Leary, MD, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases, informed NPR. “I think it’s going to be confusing not only for parents but also for public health professionals and medical professionals as well. This takes away choice.” Steven J. Fleischman, MD, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, stated in a press release, “As ob-gyns who treat patients every day, we have seen firsthand how dangerous COVID infection can be during pregnancy and for newborns who depend on maternal antibodies from the vaccine for protection. The science has not changed. It is very clear that COVID infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability.”

Currently, the CDC website states that COVID vaccination for children “is safe,” that “getting vaccinated helps protect children against COVID-19,“ and that “children who have already had COVID-19 should still get vaccinated.” Last 12 months, a examine printed in JAMA concluded that its “analysis of 3,913,063 cases suggest reduced pediatric SARS-CoV-2 transmission following immunization,” and that “these results support the use of COVID-19 vaccines to reduce COVID-19 incidence and hospitalization in pediatric populations.”