The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has unveiled a new childhood vaccination schedule, diverging from recent federal recommendations. Released on January 24, 2026, this schedule has garnered support from over a dozen prominent medical organizations and associations. The AAP’s approach continues to endorse several vaccinations that the new federal guidelines do not include.
Notably, the AAP recommends routine flu vaccinations, hepatitis B vaccinations for all infants, and COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 6 to 23 months. In contrast, the federal guidelines have shifted to a more flexible stance, allowing parents and healthcare providers to decide on individual vaccinations, often leaving children without crucial immunizations.
Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and member of the AAP’s committee on infectious diseases, expressed concerns regarding the federal recommendations. He stated, “The recommendations from the CDC, I think, are confusing for parents and for pediatricians. These recommendations … are very different from what CDC recommended a year ago or two years ago or five years ago. It’s not that the science has changed. It’s that the people running CDC have changed.”
The AAP’s decision to maintain its previous vaccination recommendations aims to provide clarity and consistency for parents navigating childhood immunizations. The organization emphasizes the importance of these vaccines in protecting children from preventable diseases.
As the debate continues, the AAP’s schedule stands as a significant alternative in the landscape of childhood vaccinations, reflecting the organization’s commitment to public health and pediatric care.
