The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced updates to the US adult and child immunization schedules, introducing individual-based decision-making for COVID-19 vaccination and recommending standalone varicella (chickenpox) shots for toddlers rather than combination with the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine. The revised schedules will be published on CDC.gov by October 7, 2025.

Individual-based COVID-19 vaccination

The updated guidance allows healthcare providers to discuss the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination with individual patients, reversing the CDC’s previous blanket booster recommendation from 2022. Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill emphasized, “Informed consent is back,” highlighting the importance of shared decision-mak

See Full Page