"Nothing has changed" for KC parents after Trump's vaccine order
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The White House wants to shrink the childhood vaccine schedule, but the shots your kid needs to start school in Kansas City this month haven't changed.
Why it matters: KC's health director says families are confused about what the new order means, clinic traffic is down, and kids still need their required shots to start school in the next two weeks.
Catch up quick: President Trump signed an order Aug. 10 calling for a review of the nation's vaccine schedule, cutting the number of shots recommended for all children and splitting the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three separate doses.
- The White House says the order maximizes parental choice over childhood vaccines.
- It asks states to reconsider their school enrollment requirements. It doesn't rewrite any laws on its own.
Zoom in: "Right now, nothing has changed," the Kansas City Health Department said in a release following its Friday news conference on the order.
- The recommended schedule, school requirements, insurance coverage and KCHD services all stay put, and providers are advised to keep vaccinating per American Academy of Pediatrics guidance.
State of play: School shot requirements are set by states, not the White House. Missouri's health department says its requirements won't change for now since the schedule is state law that only lawmakers can rewrite, and Kansas officials say they follow guidance from pediatric and family medicine groups.
- Kansas City Public Schools told parents on Thursday it still follows state-required immunizations.
Stunning stat: KCHD vaccination traffic is down 20% to 30%, Jones said, while Missouri kindergarten rates already sit below the 90% herd immunity threshold, per state data.
Reality check: There's no scientific evidence that splitting the MMR shot would make it safer, University Health infectious disease specialist Susanne Luedtke said during the news conference.
- It would mean more injections, more appointments and more chances for kids to miss a dose, she said.
What's next: KCPS students return Monday, and North Kansas City Schools starts Aug. 25, giving families about a week to catch up on shots.
- KCHD's clinic is open from 8am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with extended hours until 7pm Wednesdays and a children's clinic 8am to noon Saturdays.
- Walk-ins are accepted but not guaranteed.