The news: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released COVID-19 vaccine recommendations that contradict the federal government’s recent guidance shift.

The AAP vs. the feds: The pediatricians' association is now recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for all children aged 6 to 23 months. They also recommend it for older kids (ages 2+) who are at high risk. They made this decision after looking at data that shows COVID-19 is still causing hospitalizations and deaths in children.

This recommendation goes against the government's stance. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed the COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for healthy children. While the CDC says the decision should be a shared one between parents and doctors, the pediatricians' group feels this guidance isn't clear enough and doesn't stress the need to vaccinate high-risk children.

Why it matters: Doctors’ groups and the government are typically aligned on vaccine policy. Physicians depend on guidance from public health agencies and medical associations to make immunization decisions for their patients. These guidelines also drive coverage decisions for health insurers.

However, it’s now possible that insurers will opt against covering vaccines for young, healthy children, per the government’s new recommendations. Meanwhile, clinicians and pharmacists could struggle to explain to their patients why there is conflicting vaccine information between medical groups and the government. Other medical associations and some states are developing their own clinical guidelines for vaccines and say they’ll continue endorsing the COVID-19 shot for young kids. But they likely won’t be able to force insurance coverage.

Our take: Conflicting vaccine guidance is creating confusion for patients and healthcare providers, while making public discourse on vaccines more divisive. The responsibility to fix this will now fall on local leaders. States, communities, and physicians must take charge. They need to deliver clear, evidence-based vaccine information directly to people through local clinics, schools, and pharmacies. They must also actively campaign for insurers to continue covering the shots.

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