The landscape of vaccines in the United States has become increasingly complex, with ever-changing policies and recommendations making it challenging for many to stay informed.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine guidelines committee voted to restrict access to updated Covid vaccines and combination shots for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. This move aligns with an agenda championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While the complete impact of these changes remains uncertain, their adoption by the acting C.D.C. director could significantly influence patient choices and insurance coverage.
Both President Trump and Mr. Kennedy have frequently suggested a connection between vaccines and the increase in autism diagnoses. However, this claim has been thoroughly debunked by decades of rigorous scientific research.
We understand that many of you have questions about vaccines. After inviting our readers to share their concerns, we received hundreds of inquiries covering everything from efficacy and safety to cost and accessibility.
Below, you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions, provided by expert health and science reporters from The New York Times.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Are updated Covid shots available? Who can get them?
- Are updated flu shots available?
- What has changed about access to the M.M.R.V. vaccine?
- Why do newborns get the hepatitis B vaccine?
- Will my insurance keep paying for vaccines?
- If I have to pay out of pocket, how much do vaccines cost?
- Will I be able to get vaccines at a pharmacy, doctor’s office or health clinic?
- How are vaccines and their ingredients tested for safety?
- Is it safe for my child to follow the childhood vaccine schedule? How about to receive multiple vaccines at once?
- Do vaccines cause autism?
- How common are serious reactions to vaccines? Are certain groups more susceptible to them?
Are updated Covid shots available? Who can get them?
In short: mostly, yes. Theoretically, anyone aged six months and older should be able to receive the updated Covid vaccines, designed to combat newer viral variants, after a consultation with a healthcare provider. However, practical access may vary for some individuals.
A more detailed explanation reveals a shift: while earlier Covid vaccine versions were broadly approved for all Americans six months and up, this year, the Food and Drug Administration initially limited approval to those 65 and older or individuals with high-risk medical conditions.
Weeks following the initial FDA approval, the CDC’s vaccine panel, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, issued its own guidance. They recommended that anyone aged six months and older could receive the vaccines through a “shared clinical decision-making” process with a medical provider, a role that could potentially be filled by a pharmacist, though this is not universally assured.
The country’s two largest pharmacy chains, CVS and Walgreens, have stated they would administer Covid vaccines without requiring a prescription, provided the CDC’s new recommendations receive formal approval from its director. As of Wednesday morning, this formal adoption had not yet occurred.
Access becomes more intricate for children and pregnant women. Many pharmacies and pediatric clinics currently lack pediatric formulations of the latest Covid vaccines. Furthermore, despite the CDC recognizing pregnancy as a high-risk condition, it has ceased recommending Covid vaccination for pregnant individuals.
While Covid vaccines are “not prohibited for use in the United States,” as noted by Jason Schwartz, an associate professor of health policy at the Yale School of Public Health, this doesn’t automatically translate to easy access for everyone.
Are updated flu shots available?
Flu shots are readily available, and the CDC continues to recommend them for everyone six months and older, with no changes to eligibility requirements.
These vaccines are designed to combat three specific flu strains that the FDA has identified as most probable to circulate during the current season. While the precision of this prediction can fluctuate annually, even in seasons where the vaccine’s effectiveness is lower, it significantly helps in reducing the severity of symptoms should you contract the flu.
Health experts generally advise receiving your flu shot between late September and October for optimal protection.
What has changed about access to the M.M.R.V. vaccine?
Parents seeking to protect their children from measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox typically have two vaccination choices:
Option 1: Children receive two separate injections – one for chickenpox, and another combined shot known as the M.M.R., which targets measles, mumps, and rubella.
Option 2: Children receive a single, combined M.M.R.V. vaccine that protects against all four diseases. While this combined shot carries a slightly elevated, though temporary, risk of fever-induced seizures in young children – which, despite parental concern, do not result in long-term damage – many parents opt for it to minimize the number of injections or clinic visits.
Recently, the CDC panel withdrew its recommendation for the M.M.R.V. combination shot for children under four years old. Concurrently, they voted to exclude this combination shot for children under four from the Vaccines for Children program, which supplies free vaccines to approximately half of America’s youth.
However, this alteration is expected to have minimal impact on most children. The CDC had previously advised the M.M.R. vaccine for the first of the two required doses, unless parents specifically requested the combined shot. (It’s important to note that the panel’s decision on Thursday does not impact the M.M.R. vaccine’s availability or insurance coverage.) Data presented by CDC scientists at the meeting indicated that the combination shot constituted only 15 percent of first doses administered in 2023.
Typically, children receive their second dose of either the M.M.R. or M.M.R.V. vaccine between four and six years old. Since the CDC’s latest recommendation specifically applies to children under four, this subsequent dose remains unaffected by the panel’s recent decision.
Why do newborns get the hepatitis B vaccine?
Hepatitis B poses a significant risk for permanent liver damage. Since 1991, the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel has recommended the hepatitis B vaccine for all infants, primarily because the virus can be passed from mother to child during birth. This widespread vaccination has led to a dramatic decrease in disease rates.
This virus is even more easily transmissible than H.I.V., and a large number of infected individuals are unaware they carry it. Beyond sexual contact or shared needles, hepatitis B can also be transmitted through contact with household items contaminated with traces of blood or other bodily fluids, like towels or razors.
President Trump has voiced concerns regarding newborn hepatitis B vaccination, suggesting that children should instead wait until age 12 to receive it.
Although most pregnant women are screened for hepatitis B, testing gaps still exist. Infants infected within their first year of life face a roughly 90 percent chance of developing a chronic infection.
Will my insurance keep paying for vaccines?
Most likely, yes.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, nearly all insurance providers are mandated to fully cover vaccines recommended by the CDC panel. While not strictly required to cover non-recommended shots, many insurers have indicated their intention to continue coverage despite recent panel changes.
AHIP, a prominent national trade group representing numerous health insurers, announced this month that its members will continue to cover all vaccines recommended by the CDC as of September 1, through at least the end of 2026. If this stance holds, both the M.M.R.V. and Covid vaccines will remain covered by a wide array of private insurers and Medicare Advantage plans.
United Healthcare, though not an AHIP member, has also informed The Times that it plans to maintain coverage for all vaccines recommended at the beginning of the current year.
Moreover, the Department of Health and Human Services confirms that Medicaid, Medicare, and the Vaccines for Children program will continue to cover Covid vaccines.
However, it’s crucial to remember that specific plan details can vary, even within the same insurance company. Therefore, always verify your coverage directly with your insurer.
If I have to pay out of pocket, how much do vaccines cost?
While most insurers are required to fully cover CDC-recommended vaccines, if you lack insurance or if your coverage changes due to the panel’s recommendations, out-of-pocket costs can differ significantly based on the vaccine and the provider.
The CDC offers a list of private-sector prices for various vaccines. However, this list only indicates the cost to the provider; the amount you are charged will likely be higher. For instance, while Moderna’s and Pfizer’s adult Covid vaccines are listed at around $140 for providers, an individual paying out-of-pocket at a pharmacy could easily spend over $200.
For parents wishing to get their children the M.M.R.V. combination shot (no longer mandatorily covered for children under four by insurers), out-of-pocket payment may be necessary, with the private-sector cost estimated at approximately $290.
Will I be able to get vaccines at a pharmacy, doctor’s office, or health clinic?
Yes, flu shots and most standard childhood vaccinations, such as the M.M.R., Tdap, and polio vaccines, continue to be widely accessible.
Covid vaccines have faced some accessibility challenges for many, though this could improve if the CDC’s acting director formally adopts the vaccine panel’s latest recommendations.
Pediatricians’ offices typically handle routine childhood immunizations, rather than pharmacies, and this practice is expected to continue.
How are vaccines and their ingredients tested for safety?
Every vaccine can cause some mild side effects, but new vaccines undergo rigorous evaluation to ensure their benefits significantly outweigh any potential risks.
Vaccine testing typically starts with laboratory animals such as mice or primates. If initial results indicate safety and potential, the vaccine progresses to its first clinical trial, usually involving fewer than 100 human participants. Subsequent, larger trials then monitor side effects across a more diverse group of participants, including various ages and backgrounds. Ultimately, vaccines are tested on thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of individuals to identify even the rarest side effects.
During these trials, some participants receive the actual vaccine while others are given a placebo, often a simple saline solution. This allows scientists to differentiate between effects caused by the vaccine itself and those influenced by other factors, like the expectation of treatment.
According to experts, when a “proven intervention” with a solid safety record already exists – for instance, an established vaccine – it would be unethical to test a new product against a placebo, as this would deny potentially life-saving treatment to some participants.
Instead, researchers will compare the new vaccine to the existing one to determine if it is equally or more effective. Many of the vaccines currently in use have undergone stringent testing in this manner for both safety and effectiveness.
The entire vaccine testing process can extend up to a decade. Following this, the FDA thoroughly reviews all data to decide on the vaccine’s approval.
Even after a vaccine receives approval, the CDC and FDA continuously gather data on any potential side effects. These agencies are prepared to update recommendations or issue new warning labels if a significant link between a serious side effect and a vaccine is identified.
Is it safe for my child to follow the childhood vaccine schedule? And what about receiving multiple vaccines at once?
Serious side effects from the standard childhood vaccine schedule are exceptionally rare, and there’s no evidence to suggest that receiving multiple vaccines simultaneously is unsafe. While all vaccines or medications can cause some side effects, most are mild and temporary.
The “Make America Healthy Again” strategy report, released this month, instructs the government to “ensure America has the best childhood vaccine schedule” and advocates for increased research into vaccine-related injuries. Mr. Kennedy has consistently expressed doubts about the safety of specific vaccines and the practice of administering several shots concurrently.
Although children today receive more vaccines than previous generations, modern vaccines are significantly more refined and efficient. They contain vastly fewer immune system stimulants compared to older formulations.
Furthermore, children’s bodies are home to trillions of bacteria, outnumbering their own cells, and they are constantly exposed to pathogens in everyday environments—from human contact to toys and household surfaces. The quantity of antigens (components of a pathogen that trigger an immune response) in vaccines is infinitesimally small when compared to a child’s routine daily exposure.
Do vaccines cause autism?
The Trump administration has actively challenged various vaccine ingredients and the established childhood immunization schedule. This Monday, Department of Health and Human Services officials revealed new research initiatives, allocating millions in federal funding to investigate the “root causes” of autism, with vaccines listed among the factors to be studied.
Over the past three decades, numerous studies have consistently found no link between vaccines and autism. The idea that vaccines cause autism gained notoriety in the late 1990s, following a study by British researcher Andrew Wakefield, who claimed to have found a connection between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and autism in just 12 children.
However, Wakefield’s study was later exposed as fraudulent, and he was found to have significant conflicts of interest. His article was subsequently retracted, and he ultimately lost his medical license.
Since then, many extensive studies on vaccines and autism have been conducted, including a comprehensive examination of Denmark’s entire child population. Researchers tracked 657,461 children born between 1999 and 2010, identifying 6,517 with an autism diagnosis. The findings showed no increased proportional incidence of autism in vaccinated children compared to unvaccinated children.
Despite extensive research into various vaccine types, ingredients, and the timing of childhood immunization schedules, no credible scientific link between vaccines and autism has ever been found.
How common are serious reactions to vaccines? Are certain groups more susceptible?
Serious adverse reactions to vaccines are exceedingly uncommon. While most vaccinations can cause mild, temporary symptoms like fatigue, fever, or localized soreness, severe side effects are rare. In the infrequent instances where health authorities have identified significant risks, the vaccines have been promptly withdrawn. A notable example occurred in 1999, when the CDC removed its recommendation for a rotavirus vaccine linked to a severe form of intestinal blockage in children, leading the manufacturer to discontinue production voluntarily.
A very small percentage of young individuals, particularly males aged 12 to 24, who receive their initial two doses of Moderna’s and Pfizer’s Covid vaccines might develop myocarditis, or heart inflammation. This side effect is even rarer in other adult age groups and has not been observed in younger children. Across all demographics, myocarditis is more frequently reported after a Covid infection itself than after receiving a Covid vaccine, as indicated by an analysis of almost two dozen studies.
(It’s worth noting that myocarditis has also been observed following smallpox vaccinations, including a specific version utilized to prevent mpox.)
Myocarditis is a treatable condition, and the vast majority of individuals who experience it make a complete recovery. Should you experience chest pain, heart palpitations, or shortness of breath within approximately a week after receiving a vaccine, it is advised to seek medical attention.
Flu shots are also remarkably safe. Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare condition where the immune system targets nerves, affects only one or two people per million vaccine recipients, as reported by both the CDC and the World Health Organization. It’s important to note that actual flu infections are far more likely to trigger this syndrome than the vaccine itself.
While uncommon, an allergic reaction to any vaccine is a possibility. If you’ve ever been asked to remain at the vaccination site for a short period afterward, it’s a precaution to ensure that, in the rare instance of anaphylaxis, immediate treatment can be provided.