Newborns are susceptible to COVID, require immunity through mother

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The removal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women this week by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being widely criticized by health experts as lacking scientific support and bypassing established review processes.

Vaccines remain a critical tool for protecting individuals and communities, especially those most at risk, health experts say.

Expert concerns

Kennedy did not cite new evidence or consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which is the standard process for vaccine policy[1]. The CDC and leading medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have consistently recommended COVID-19 vaccination for everyone aged 6 months and older, including children and pregnant women, based on evidence that vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death[2].

Why COVID-19 vaccines matter for vulnerable populations

While most children experience mild symptoms from COVID-19, a significant subset can develop severe disease requiring hospitalization, or in rare cases, die from the infection[4]. Over 1 million children in the U.S. have experienced long COVID, a condition with potentially lasting health impacts[5]. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of severe outcomes in children, with two or more doses being about 40% effective in preventing emergency room visits and hospitalizations for children under 5.

Unvaccinated children face substantially higher risks during COVID surges, including:

• Long COVID risk: Up to 20 times more likely to develop long COVID compared with vaccinated peers[7]
• Severe complications: Risk of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a rare but serious condition causing inflammation in organs such as the heart, lungs and brain[8]
• Higher hospitalization rates: Particularly vulnerable are infants under 6 months, who have hospitalization rates comparable to adults aged 65–74[9]

The role maternal vaccination

• Direct protection for infants through antibody transfer: When a pregnant woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine, her immune system produces antibodies against the virus. These antibodies are transferred across the placenta to the developing fetus, providing the newborn with passive immunity during the first months of life, when the infant is too young to be vaccinated[16]. Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe COVID-19, and vaccination helps protect both the mother and the newborn[11].
• Proven effectiveness against infection: During the delta variant period, the risk of infection in infants was reduced by 85% in the first two months, 64% in the first four months, and 57% in the first six months of life[17]. Even during the omicron period, meaningful protection persisted, though at lower levels.
• Additional health benefits: Beyond COVID-19 protection, maternal vaccination has been associated with decreased risk of preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes, further supporting its role as a comprehensive safeguard for both mother and child[20]. Hybrid immunity — when a mother has both vaccination and prior infection — may provide even stronger protection for the newborn[21].
• Effects of long COVID on children: Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), can affect children of all ages, including infants and toddlers. Recent research has identified distinct patterns of prolonged symptoms and potential risks in young children, which differ from those seen in older children and adults.

Key symptoms in babies and children

Infants and toddlers (0-2 years):

• Trouble sleeping
• Fussiness
• Poor appetite
• Stuffy nose
• Cough[27]

Preschool-aged children (3-5 years):

• Dry cough
• Daytime tiredness or low energy[27]

These symptoms were found to be more common in children with a history of COVID-19 infection than in those without, and they often persisted for at least three months after infection[27].

Older children and adolescents:

• Trouble with memory or focusing (the most common symptom in ages 6-11)
• Back, neck, stomach and head pain
• Fatigue and sleep disturbances
• Behavioral changes, such as increased fear or refusal to go to school[28]

Potential long-term risks

Long COVID can affect multiple organ systems, including the heart, brain and lungs, and may lead to persistent symptoms such as dizziness, increased heart rate and chronic fatigue[29].

In rare cases, children can develop serious conditions like multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), diabetes or myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) after infection[29].

Children with the most symptoms and the most organ systems affected were found to have poorer overall health, lower quality of life, and developmental delays[30].

Prevalence in children

Studies estimate that about 10-20% of children who contract COVID-19 may develop long COVID symptoms[29].

The risk appears higher after severe or symptomatic infections but can also occur after mild or asymptomatic cases[29].

How prevalent is COVID now?

As of late May, the United States is experiencing low but ongoing COVID-19 activity.

The CDC reports a national test positivity rate of 2.8% for the week ending May 17, with only 0.3% of emergency department visits attributed to COVID-19[24].

COVID-19 infections are estimated to be growing in four states, declining in 18 and stable in 21, according to CDC modeling as of May 20[25].

Official case counts significantly underrepresent the true number of infections due to widespread use of home tests and reduced formal reporting. For example, Nebraska reported 88 positive results from 1,913 tests in the week ending May 3, but this does not capture unreported or asymptomatic cases. Nevada’s COVID rate showed no change for the week[26].

Public health and access concerns

• Policy stability: Kennedy has a long history as a vaccine skeptic and previously stated he would not change the vaccine schedule for children, yet he has now done so by removing COVID-19 shots from the recommendations[13]. This reversal raises questions about the stability and predictability of future public health policy under his leadership.
• Equity and access issues: Removing the vaccine from the CDC’s recommended schedule could lead to insurance companies and federal programs like Vaccines for Children no longer covering the cost, making it harder for families to access the vaccine if they still want it for their children[14]. This could exacerbate health disparities, as only those who can afford to pay out-of-pocket would be able to get their children vaccinated.

Sources

[1] https://www.statnews.com/2025/05/27/covid-shots-pregnant-women-children-recommendation-change-hhs-secretary-kennedy/

[2] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-covid-vaccines-cdc-children-pregnant-women/

[3] https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-pregnant-women-children-70c358cad726e57d680234c3ecdec926

[4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/05/27/covid-vaccine-children-recommendation-rfk/

[5] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/well/rfk-jr-cdc-children-covid-vaccines-data.html

[6] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rfk-jr-cuts-covid-vaccine-recommendation-healthy-kids/story?id=122233770

[7] https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-unvaccinated-kids-higher-covid-analysis.html

[8] https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2022/01/Pediatric-COVID-Research.html

[9] https://time.com/6170315/omicron-covid-19-risks-kids-under-5/

[11] https://time.com/7288915/cdc-covid-19-vaccines-pregnant-women-children/

[12] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/kennedy-says-government-no-longer-recommends-covid-vaccines-for-healthy-children-and-pregnant-women

[13] https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/05/27/nx-s1-5413179/covid-vaccine-children-pregnant-rfk-cdc

[14] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/27/the-cdc-is-no-longer-recommending-covid-vaccines-for-healthy-children-pregnant-women-00370864

[15] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/health/covid-vaccines-children-pregnant-women-rfk-jr.html

[16] https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/the-importance-of-maternal-vaccination

[17] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9603829/

[20] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002937824000784

[21] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11260787/

[22] https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/05/27/nx-s1-5413179/covid-vaccine-children-pregnant-rfk-cdc

[23] https://muschealth.org/health-professionals/progressnotes/2024/winter/maternal-covid-19-vaccination

[24] https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home

[25] https://www.cdc.gov/cfa-modeling-and-forecasting/rt-estimates/index.html

[26] https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/what-covid-19-variants-are-going-around

[27] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2834480

[28] https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/long-covid-children-adolescents

[29] https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2024/characterizing-long-covid-children

[30] https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/long-covid-children-adolescents