The CDC's reversal on vaccine guidelines for children is facing a legal challenge
August 18, 2025
L.A. County wastewater shows COVID levels at their highest since February.
The CDCs reversal on vaccine guidance for children and pregnant women faces a legal challenge.
Health officials urge masking in crowded places and boosters for those at higher risk.
The Southwest leads the nation with a 12.5% COVID infection rate, according to the latest figures from the CDC. In Los Angeles County,COVID-19 levels in wastewater have climbed to their highest point since February, raising concerns of another summer wave. Public health experts say wastewater tracking can catch surges earlier than clinical testing, and often better reflects the spread of the virus among people who never develop symptoms.
County health officials stressed that the rise doesnt yet match the large waves of past winters, but they are urging precautions. Were asking residents especially older adults and those with underlying conditions to be mindful in crowded indoor spaces and consider wearing a high-quality mask, the Department of Public Health said in a statement. The agency also encouraged people who have not had a recent COVID booster to consult their doctors about whether they should get one.
The spike comes as vaccine policy becomes a flashpoint in Washington. In May, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had dropped COVID shots from its recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. Kennedy defended the rollback as a correction of Biden-era guidance, which had promoted repeat COVID boosters for children despite a lack of clinical data to support that approach.
Vaccine policy challenged
The decision prompted an immediate lawsuit from major medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians and the American Public Health Association who called it baseless and uninformed. They argued the move violated federal law by ignoring the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the panel that sets U.S. vaccine recommendations.
ACIP has continued to back updated COVID boosters alongside annual flu shots. In its latest update, the committee noted boosters reduced hospitalization risk by 44% and death by 23% last season, and said the benefits outweighed the rare risks of heart inflammation or allergic reactions. Still, it acknowledged the vaccines lose effectiveness as new strains emerge.
Despite those benefits, uptake has been weak. Only about 23% of adults and 13% of children received the 202425 COVID booster, compared with about half of Americans who got a flu shot.
Public health officials say that low vaccination coverage, combined with rising wastewater signals, makes preventive steps more important. Were not calling for widespread mandates, the county said, but this is a moment to take commonsense precautions stay home if youre sick, mask in high-risk settings and keep your vaccines up to date.
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