Illinois and New Jersey reject federal childhood vaccine changes

Illinois and New Jersey have announced they will not adopt new federal childhood vaccine guidelines following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The federal order proposes a “Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations” model, which suggests administering the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine as three separate shots rather than a combined dose. It also suggests lowering recommendations for several vaccines, including Hepatitis A and B, the flu, and COVID-19, to specific high-risk groups.

In Illinois, the Department of Public Health stated it will continue to follow the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which the state’s Immunization Advisory Committee adopted in February. Governor JB Pritzker criticized the executive order, describing it as a “thoughtless piece of paper” that ignores scientific evidence.

Similarly, New Jersey officials confirmed that state childhood vaccine requirements remain unchanged. New Jersey law allows the state health department to set requirements based on professional healthcare bodies rather than mirroring federal guidance. Public health experts have expressed concern that rolling back vaccine recommendations could lead to increased preventable hospitalizations and deaths.