The Trump Administration’s health policies are upending years of advice about COVID vaccines. Since they’ve been available, experts have recommended the shot to almost everyone. The vaccines are safe and they work.

But now federal agencies are taking a much narrower approach. Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. just announced the vaccines won't be recommended for children or healthy pregnant people. And the FDA plans to approve booster shots only for older adults and people with extra risk factors. 

We talk more about all of that with an expert on COVID-19, Dr. Helen Chu. Chu doesn't agree with the recommendations.

"I think the reason why we have COVID vaccines for young children and for pregnant persons is because they know we know that they work, that they're safe, they're effective," Chu says. "These are populations that are at high risk for severe disease."

Guest

Dr. Helen Chu, professor of medicine at the University of Washington. She’s run several landmark studies of how COVID spreads.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. 

The Trump Administration&rsquo;s health policies are upending years of advice about COVID vaccines. Since they&rsquo;ve been available, experts have recommended the shot to almost everyone. The vaccines are safe and they work.
But now federal agencies are taking a much narrower approach. Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/05/27/nx-s1-5413179/covid-vaccine-children-pregnant-rfk-cdc">just announced the vaccines</a> won't be recommended for children or healthy pregnant people. And the FDA plans to approve <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-variant-nb-1-8-1-symptoms-booster-vaccine/">booster shots</a> only for older adults and people with extra risk factors.&nbsp;
We talk more about all of that with an expert on COVID-19, Dr. Helen Chu. Chu doesn't agree with the recommendations.
"I think the reason why we have COVID vaccines for young children and for pregnant persons is because they know we know that they work, that they're safe, they're effective," Chu says. "These are populations that are at high risk for severe disease."
Guest
<a href="https://epi.washington.edu/faculty/chu-helen/">Dr. Helen Chu</a>, professor of medicine at the University of Washington. She&rsquo;s run several landmark studies of how COVID spreads.
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.&nbsp;

Soundside

The Trump Administration’s health policies are upending years of advice about COVID vaccines. The shot was recommended for almost everyone. But now federal agencies are taking a much narrower approach.

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