The CDC has released an updated childhood immunization schedule that reduces the number of vaccines recommended for all children and shifts several others into risk‑based or shared decision‑making categories.
Eleven vaccines remain part of the routine schedule, including those for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcal disease, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and HPV.
The vaccines for COVID‑19, influenza, hepatitis A and B, meningococcal disease, and rotavirus are no longer universally recommended for all children.
Because North Carolina follows federal guidance for its public‑health programs, the changes are expected to influence local requirements in Brunswick and Columbus counties. School and childcare immunization rules, county health department materials, and programs such as Medicaid, WIC, and Vaccines for Children will adjust as the state implements the new recommendations through 2026.
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