Minnesota, Wisconsin health departments will not follow CDC vaccine guidance

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services are breaking with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine guidance after the federal organization made changes to the childhood immunization schedule.

READ MORE: US drops number of vaccines it recommends for every child: What to know

Minnesota, Wisconsin break with federal government on immunizations

What they're saying:

The federal government announced on Monday, Jan. 5, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is dropping the number of vaccines it recommends for every child, leaving other immunizations, such as flu shots, open to families to choose. But critics say the CDC did not provide clear guidance.

Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham shared the following statement: 

"This change at the federal level does not reflect the best available science. Medical association immunization schedules are evidence-based, reflect current clinical practice and are developed through established professional review processes. Aligning our recommendations with professional medical associations helps provide clarity and stability for families and providers by using a proven set of recommendations that doctors, and other clinicians, already know and trust."

The MDH adds that it is making changes to its website to follow the immunization guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 

The state agency said it will continue to support vaccine access consistent with an executive order issued by Gov. Tim Walz.

The Wisconsin Department of Health released a statement that said, in part, "The federal government issued a modified childhood vaccine schedule on January 5, 2026. No new clinical data on either safety or effectiveness were presented that would justify these changes." 

Wisconsin health officials add they will not be making any changes to the state's school or child care recommendations. 

CDC changes vaccine guidance 

Dig deeper:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will continue to recommend that all children are immunized against 10 diseases for which there is international consensus, as well as varicella (chickenpox), according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

For other diseases, the CDC will recommend immunization for high-risk groups and populations, or through shared clinical decision making when it is not possible for public health authorities to clearly define who will benefit from an immunization. 

The updated schedule is in contrast to the CDC child and adolescent schedule at the end of 2024, which recommended 17 immunizations for all children.

On the new schedule, vaccines — such as those for hepatitis A and B, meningitis, rotavirus and seasonal flu — are now more restricted. They are recommended only for those at high risk or after consultation with a health care provider. 

More specifically, the CDC will continue to recommend that all children are vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and human papillomavirus (HPV), for which there is international consensus, as well as varicella (chickenpox).