U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 's new vaccine advisory panel voted Thursday to recommend limits on a combination vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella/chickenpox (MMRV). The group advised that the MMRV vaccine not be given before the age of 4, and that younger children should instead receive separate MMR and varicella shots.

The vote was 8-3, with one abstention.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices also delayed a vote on hepatitis B shots for newborns, a policy in place for two decades. On Friday, the panel is expected to decide whether some babies should be allowed to wait a month before receiving those shots, while also taking up guidance for COVID-19 vaccines.

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The CDC 's vaccine advisory panel shapes recom

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