Does the CDC advise against COVID vaccination?

In general, the CDC (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) does not advise against the COVID vaccination, but the recommendations have recently changed to allow more room for individual assessment.

The CDC recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for all adults, and especially for those 65 and older. However, there has been a recent shift in the wording of the recommendations for certain groups. The CDC has announced that the vaccines are no longer routinely recommended for healthy children.

Instead, it is now shared clinical decision-making: parents can decide, in consultation with their doctor, whether to get the vaccine for their children starting at 6 months.

According to the CDC, it is especially important to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, are 65 or older, are at high risk for severe COVID-19, are in a long-term care facility, are pregnant, breastfeeding, are trying to become pregnant or may become pregnant in the future, or want to reduce your risk of long-term COVID-19.

Finally, the CDC indicates that it is important to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because protection from the COVID-19 vaccine decreases over time, and immunity after a COVID-19 infection diminishes over time. The COVID-19 vaccines are being updated to provide the best protection against currently circulating strains.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2025-10-07 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2026