Why don't we maybe set the stage by setting the landscape of all the things that have changed? And I know the AP came out with a statement just in September, September 2nd, about their stances on a lot of those changes.

Sure.

So in some ways, so there have been a lot of changes, but in some ways, a lot actually hasn't changed.

So just a little bit of background.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has been making immunization recommendations actually since the 1930s, far before, long before the federal government sort of got into that business.

That happened in 1964 with the creation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

And even from the 60s into the 90s, there were two schedules.

What would you say to our audience in terms of the people that do come in with some hesitancy? Do you have one? I know there's not one panacea, but like if you had one sort of methodology that you think works quite well with most families, what would it be?

In fact, many peer nations that recommend fewer routine vaccines maintain high vaccination rates through public trust and education rather than mandates." What do you make of that argument?

Yeah, you know, (laughs) it's th- the, it's really disturbing irony that the, that they are making these claims that they're doing this to restore trust when these are exactly the same people who have been working for decades to, uh, sow fear and, and sow distrust in vaccines, that they're do- making this move to improve trust.

That's, that's just i- i- completely false.

Um, yo- the, the, you know, um, the HHS secretary himself has been sowing distrust for decades.

So I, I don't buy that argument at all.

Um, and th- the idea that somehow this maneuver is going to raise vaccination coverage, um, because of what they're doing, that, that makes no logical sense.

The fact is, the vast majority of US parents vaccinate their children according to the recommended schedule.

And for parents who wanna keep their children on the previous more comprehensive vaccine schedule, what should they do?

Who should, uh, under 17 continue to get the COVID booster?

Sure.

Good question.

So, the kids that are at highest risk for hospitalization from COVID are really those under age two, um, and particularly those under six months of age.

Um, what was curious about this maneuver, um, that, that the administration made was that the ACIP, which is the body that makes these recommendations, was already considering, um, moving to a recommendation sort of making that point that the younger kids are most, uh, are, are most at risk.

As children get older, they are at a bit lower risk.

Now, the others that are, um, high risk are those, um, with chronic medical conditions, particularly those who are immunocompromised.

And some of the places that we're, uh, familiar, w- uh, are familiar to us now to get vaccines very quickly, and I'm wondering your thoughts on that construct, 'cause I feel like we're gonna keep hearing about that.