Robert F. Kennedy Jr., acting as a top health official in the Trump administration, formally rescinded the long-standing federal recommendation for annual flu vaccines. Medical experts expressed deep alarm over this “mixed messaging,” noting it coincided with record-breaking rates of illness and nearly 300 pediatric flu deaths in the previous season. While Kennedy claimed there is no scientific evidence that the vaccine prevents serious illness or death in children, public health advocates pointed to extensive studies showing its effectiveness and warned that the new policy will likely cause vaccination rates to drop further.
Date: January 16, 2026. Source: theguardian.com