Fall COVID vaccines are arriving amid conflicting guidance
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With conflicting guidance, it's hard to keep up with where this fall's COVID-19 vaccine stands for Michiganders.
The big picture: The Trump administration's revised vaccine policies under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have prompted confusion among some parents and objections from doctors.
- In May, the CDC changed its COVID shot recommendation for healthy kids and healthy pregnant people.
The latest: The updated 2025–26 COVID-19 vaccine is expected to roll out this fall, potentially in mid- to late September, according to Nick Gilpin, an epidemiologist at Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan.
- "Anybody who has a condition that puts them at increased risk of complications … COVID vaccines are still universally recommended," Gilpin says tells Axios.
- CDC guidance recommends the vaccine for those 65 and older as well.
- For children and adults under 65 without underlying conditions, the CDC recommends "shared decision-making" between patients, guardians and doctors about vaccine risks and benefits.
Yes, but: Michigan's health department continues to recommend the COVID vaccine for all people 6 months and older, it announced in late July.
- "There is strong evidence that supports COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and for pediatric patients," Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for Michigan, said in a press release.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also released recommendations that diverge from the federal government's, including saying that children 6–23 months old should get vaccinated as they are "at the highest risk for severe COVID-19."
Context: A 2024–2025 Danish study of people who received COVID booster shots showed no adverse effects or complications.
Friction point: Nationally, some clinicians say moves like Kennedy's decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy kids have emboldened segments of the public to question the effectiveness and safety of a range of vaccines, Axios' Tina Reed reports.
The federal health department said in a statement to Politico that it "is committed to ensuring Americans continue to have access to safe and effective vaccines," working closely with federal and state partners to "minimize disruptions in vaccine access and protect the public's health."
Between the lines: There has been some concern about potential complications getting insurance to cover COVID vaccines. Major local health insurance companies told the Free Press they plan to continue their coverage — and Gilpin echoed that sentiment.
What they're saying: It's not a bad idea for patients to speak with their doctors, to understand vaccines and the right choice for them, Gilpin says.
- Recent divergence in recommendations between the federal government and professional societies "is a little concerning to me … that's new," Gilpin says.
- "What this presents for patients is an opportunity to talk to their doctors, to try to understand what makes the most sense for them as an individual," he says. "... The evidence seems to show that most people still trust their physician as a source of health care information, and so for all these questions, that's probably still the best place to direct people ..."