Kazakhstan maintains vaccination schedule amid US guideline changes

The United States has revised its childhood vaccination guidelines, reducing the number of recommended routine immunizations from 14 to 11 infections for children under 18. The updated schedule now includes vaccines against measles, rubella, mumps, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal infection, varicella (chickenpox), and human papillomavirus (HPV).

Notably, vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), meningococcal disease, influenza, and COVID-19 have been removed from the routine schedule. These vaccines will not be abandoned but will instead be administered based on individual risk assessments, guided by doctors and parents.

The U.S. administration also recommended a shift from the combination MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) to separate vaccines for each infection, once suitable products become available. This change aims to provide parents with greater flexibility in timing and scheduling vaccinations.

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There is no new evidence to justify such significant changes to childhood vaccination guidelines.

However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has voiced strong opposition to the revised guidelines. Leaders of the AAP described the changes as "unscientific and dangerous," arguing that there is no new evidence to support such significant alterations. They expressed concern that the move could increase uncertainty and fear among parents, potentially leaving children vulnerable to preventable diseases.

In Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Health's National Center for Public Health (NCPH) confirmed that the country's national preventive vaccination schedule remains unchanged. Kazakhstan routinely immunizes against 11 infections, including tuberculosis, hepatitis B, polio, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, Hib, pneumococcal infection, measles, mumps, and rubella. Vaccinations for other infections are administered based on specific epidemiological indications. The NCPH also noted that Kazakhstan currently uses the MMR combination vaccine and has not seen convincing scientific data to suggest a need for change.

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The only result of this announcement could be a further surge in uncertainty, fear, and confusion where none should exist.