Hundreds of medical and public health organizations are urging the US Congress to review sweeping changes to the childhood vaccination schedule made by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.[1]. The changes were announced on 5 January 2026 and reduce the number of universally recommended vaccines from 17 to 11.[2][3] Vaccines against rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and B are now recommended only for children at high risk or based on shared decision with a doctor.[1][2][3]. For the HPV vaccine, only one dose is recommended instead of the original two or three depending on age.[2][3] The changes were made without a vote of the expert panel and without a public comment process, although such modifications are normally reviewed by the ACIP before approval by the CDC.[1][3] In 2023, the CDC reported 1,648 cases of hepatitis A, with an estimate of up to 3,300 including underdiagnosis, with at least 85 deaths [1]. In the 2024-2025 flu season, 289 children died, mostly unvaccinated [1]. All recommended vaccines remain covered by insurance.[2].