The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made significant changes to the childhood vaccine schedule on Jan. 6 in a move experts warned could result in fewer children receiving a full suite of vaccines — something Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says may be a good thing.

The CDC removed universal recommendations for childhood vaccines that protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), meningococcal disease, COVID-19 and the flu, instead suggesting only children at "high risk" of serious illness receive them.

Kennedy has said the administration is "not taking vaccines away from anybody" and that they would still be available to all. But doctors and public health experts have pointed to barriers that the additional steps will create for parents trying to get their children inoculated.

In an interview with CBS News on Jan. 7, Kennedy conceded that getting vaccines, including the seasonal flu shot, for kids would now require parents to consult with a physician before receiving shots previously readily available at pharmacies.

When asked if this would result in fewer people receiving the flu vaccine, Kennedy responded, "Well, that may be, and maybe that's a better thing."

The tighter restrictions on the flu vaccine, previously recommended yearly for everyone aged 6 months or older, come amid a record-breaking flu season that has resulted in 180,000 hospitalizations and at least 7,400 deaths as of Jan. 9, according to the latest CDC data. At least 17 children have died of influenza-related diseases this season.

RFK Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, also told CBS that there is "no scientific evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious illness, hospitalizations, or death in children." This statement does not align with centuries of medical consensus and evidence, say experts, nor the CDC's own guidance still posted to its website.

"We know the best way to protect kids"

Dr. Rob Davidson, emergency physician and Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Health Care, said Kennedy's messaging around childhood vaccination is "dangerous."

"We know the people at the highest risk for complications are the elderly and children.....those are the groups you want to protect the most. For him to say it'd be better if fewer kids got (the vaccine) is reckless and dangerous."

The research review by the UK-based nonprofit Cochrane Collaboration, referenced by Kennedy in the CBS interview as proof that flu vaccination has no impact on pediatric illness or death, is outdated, said Davidson, as it points to a time before significant studies had been done on the subject matter. Now, he said, millions of doses are administered yearly with minimal side effects, such as soreness.

"More recent reviews of tens of thousands of kids that look at this do show significant reductions of hospitalization and more severe illness in kids who are vaccinated," said Davidson. "We know the best way to protect kids, adults, really the whole population, is that as many people as possible get vaccinated."

Flu deaths higher in unvaccinated children

The CDC's webpage on flu vaccination cites studies from 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2022 that found flu vaccination reduced children's risk of severe life-threatening influenza by 75%, flu-related hospitalization by 41%, flu-associated death by 50-65% and pediatric intensive care unit admission by 74%.

Additionally, a review of the 2024-2025 flu season published by the CDC on Sept. 25 found that the previous season had the highest number of pediatric deaths reported (280) since it began keeping track in 2004, except for 2009-2010, when there was a flu pandemic. A Dec. 11 update from the CDC revised that number to 288, tying the seasons for the highest number of recorded child deaths.

Only half of the children who died in 2024-2025 had an underlying health issue, and approximately 90% were not fully vaccinated.

"Even if you're saying you get only a moderate reduction in these severe cases of flu, these severe cases are tragic and avoidable," said Davidson. "Avoiding kids in an ICU or even a kid getting hospitalized that didn't need to get hospitalized for a vaccine that is safe, seems like such an amazing trade off. I can't imagine having that information ... and opting out of that."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. says it may be 'better' if kids skip flu shot. What experts say.