Advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Oct. 20 recommended adding COVID-19 vaccines to the child and adolescent immunization schedules, despite the vaccines still being under emergency authorization for some children.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) cast the vote during a meeting on updating the schedules for youth and adults.
All members voted to add the Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax vaccines to the 2023 schedules, asserting that the vaccines, despite waning effectiveness, can still prevent severe disease.
“We view this as COVID is here to stay,” Dr. Matthew Daley, one of the advisers, said. “When I think about the routine immunization schedule as a pediatrician, I think of it as an opportunity to prevent serious disease and death. And if something is added to the schedule, it’s because I feel like the benefits continue to strongly outweigh the risks.”…