In an apparent rebuke to President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the state has updated law to give Californians access to vaccines and screenings while updating vaccine recommendations.
The California Department of Public Health said Wednesday that the latest vaccine recommendations were formed through a partnership with Washington, Oregon and Hawaii through the West Coast Health Alliance.
Under the state’s 2025-2026 respiratory vaccine recommendations, COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for all babies and toddlers between 6 and 23 months old.
Children between the ages 2 and 18 with risk factors or with no record of COVID-19 vaccination are encouraged to receive their shots.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently does not specifically recommend COVD-19 vaccines, only to say if a parent wants his or her child vaccinated, children 6 months and older “may receive” vaccination.
The state guideline also recommends that pregnant women as well as all adults over the age of 65 be vaccinated for coronavirus.
When it comes to influenza vaccines, all children 6 months and older, all pregnant woman, all adults are recommended.
The state also encourages parents to vaccinate their babies who are 8 months old and younger for respiratory syncytial virus or RSV.
Pregnant women are recommended that they get vaccinated for RSV as they enter the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy to protect the unborn infant.
“Our goal is to make sure everyone understands vaccine recommendations and has access to those vaccines,” the state public health department said.
The state health agency added its vaccination guidelines were formed in consultation with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Family Physicians.