A key vaccine panel on Friday weakened recommendations that newborn infants immediately receive a hepatitis B shot, shifting a decades-old standard that’s helped protect children from the potentially deadly complications that can arise from a common viral infection.

The influential committee, known as the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices or ACIP, voted 8 to 3 to recommend what’s known as shared decision making when an expectant mother tests negative for the hepatitis B virus. Shared decision-making is a softer recommendation than a universal endorsement. For those who don’t receive the initial dose at birth, the panelists are advising a first shot no earlier than two months afterwards.

A second vote advised parents to consult with health care providers to determine whether t

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