Youri Benadjaoud\u00a0and\u00a0Will McDuffie<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RFK Jr. cuts COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for healthy kids, pregnant women<\/strong> ABC News’ Dr. Darien Sutton discusses the move which could alter guidance for doctors as well as some insurance coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who oversaw the agency’s recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines has resigned, following a week of mixed messaging from federal health officials over who would be eligible for the shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “My career in public health and vaccinology started with a deep-seated desire to help the most vulnerable members of our population, and that is not something I am able to continue doing in this role,” Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos wrote in her resignation letter obtained by ABC News. In her letter, Panagiotakopoulos said she resigned last Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reuters first reported her resignation.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Panagiotakopoulos co-led a part of the CDC’s independent panel of vaccine advisers to review evidence for recommendations on COVID vaccines. In mid-April, the advisers had discussed the possibility of narrowing the recommendations for who should receive an annual COVID vaccine — prioritizing those at higher risk such as adults over 65 or those with an underlying condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the removal of COVID vaccines<\/a> from the immunization schedule for healthy children and healthy pregnant women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later on Friday, the CDC updated the immunization schedule allowing all children to be eligible to receive COVID vaccines, now under a shared clinical decision-making model, which means parents can choose to get their children vaccinated with the advice of a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nMORE: Why healthy children may need vaccination as RFK Jr. cuts COVID shot recommendation for some kids<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n