MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Thursday reaffirmed its recommended childhood vaccine schedule after recent changes at the federal level.

Wisconsin vaccine guidance

Local perspective:

On Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control announced changes to its childhood vaccine schedule. The DHS said those modifications further stray “from alignment with America’s leading medical associations and organizations.”

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At this time, the DHS said it is not making changes to its vaccine recommendations – including no changes to Wisconsin’s school or child care vaccine recommendations.

The DHS said it continues to endorse the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule and has issued guidance to Wisconsin health care providers reaffirming that recommendation.

What they’re saying:

“The CDC’s new recommendations were based on a brief review of other countries’ practices and not based on data or evidence regarding disease risks to children in the United States,” DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson said in a statement. “This upends our longstanding, evidence-based approach of protecting our children from the viruses that pose a risk in our country.

“Copying another country’s schedule without its health and social infrastructure will not produce the same health outcomes. It creates chaos and confusion and risks the health of Wisconsin’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens.”

Big picture view:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC will continue to recommend that all children are immunized against 10 diseases for which there is international consensus, as well as chickenpox.

The updated schedule is in contrast to the CDC child and adolescent schedule at the end of 2024, which recommended 17 immunizations for all children. On the new schedule, vaccines – such as those for hepatitis A and B, meningitis, rotavirus and seasonal flu – are now more restricted. They are recommended only for those at high risk or after consultation with a health care provider. 

What they’re saying:

“President Trump directed us to examine how other developed nations protect their children and to take action if they are doing better,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.”