States Persist with Vaccination Initiatives Despite Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Opposition

Blue states are defying the Trump administration’s new COVID-19 vaccine guidelines in a move that has people questioning whether Democrats even care for the health of our children. In short: they’re blocking RFK Jr.’s efforts to remove COVID shots from the schedule for healthy children and pregnant women.

At a glance:

• Democrat-led states California, Oregon, and Washington will continue pushing COVID vaccines for children and pregnant women
• Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed these recommendations from CDC guidelines in May
• RFK Jr. criticized previous administration for recommending boosters without sufficient clinical data
• Some legal experts argue Kennedy’s decision circumvents proper CDC authority
• The change could impact vaccine access and insurance coverage for millions of Americans

Blue States Defy Trump Administration Health Guidance

California, Oregon, and Washington state officials have announced they will continue recommending COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and children despite updated CDC guidance. Their stance directly challenges Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s May decision to remove these groups from federal vaccination recommendations.

Kennedy made the announcement alongside FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and NIH head Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, marking a significant shift in federal health policy. The move aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to roll back pandemic-era health measures criticized by conservatives, and is designed to keep American children healthy.

Battle Over Science and Medical Freedom

Kennedy was direct in his criticism of previous vaccination policies during his announcement.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that as of today, the Covid vaccine shot for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule,” Kennedy stated.

Secretary RFK Jr. has officially CANCELED Moderna’s $700 million mRNA bird flu vaccine contract because it did not meet safety criteria.

This comes just as he canceled recommending COVID vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women.

Sanity is returning. pic.twitter.com/XfM81XulZm

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 29, 2025

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya called the decision “common sense and good science,” emphasizing a return to evidence-based policies. The Health Department has defended its position as restoring individual choice and the doctor-patient relationship.

“Americans deserve to make health decisions based on their individual circumstances—not under pressure from politicized institutions or rigid, one-size-fits-all mandates,” an HHS spokesman also said.

The agency maintains that vaccination should be a personal choice based on informed consent.

CDC now recommends 3 Covid-19 jabs for 9m old babies, & they are effectively mandated to take them in states like California and New York.

This is child abuse.

Dr. McCullough says “hundreds of unnecessary childhood deaths” have occurred “as a result of the vaccine.”
Ryan Cole pic.twitter.com/ko0ZxF2Ufu

— Dr David Cartland BMedSci MBChB MRCGP (2014) (@CartlandDavid) November 1, 2024

Legal Questions Remain

Legal experts have raised concerns about Kennedy’s authority to make such changes, however.

“The secretary has never been involved in making Covid-19 vaccine recommendations – any vaccine recommendations,” said Dorit Reiss, highlighting the unprecedented nature of Kennedy’s direct intervention.

However, the arguments against the decision are procedural and not actually based on evidence.

The FDA has acknowledged insufficient data on COVID-19 vaccine safety for pregnant women, contradicting claims from Democrat-aligned medical organizations. This position aligns with many Western European countries that only recommend COVID vaccines for high-risk children over six months old.