What’s Really Behind Dave Asprey’s Post

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1. What actually happened
   In May 2025, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be routinely recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. Instead, it is now classified as a shared clinical decision, meaning doctors and patients (or parents) decide together whether to get it (Washington Post, Vanity Fair, ABC News, CIDRAP).

2. Practical implications

   • The COVID vaccine remains available, but it’s no longer part of the standard CDC immunization schedule for those groups.

   • Insurance coverage may be affected, since many insurers follow CDC recommendations when deciding reimbursements.

   • Physicians may now choose to skip discussing it entirely with parents or expectant mothers.

3. Not a total removal
   The vaccine was not completely erased from the CDC schedule. It’s still an option, especially for high-risk groups. What changed is its status: no longer “routine,” but optional through medical consultation.

4. Backlash from the medical community
   Organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly criticized the move, arguing that COVID-19 remains a real threat for children and pregnant women. Experts also noted that the decision bypassed the usual Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) review process, raising concerns about political interference.

5. Political and structural context
   Kennedy also removed the 17 members of the ACIP and replaced many of them with individuals skeptical of vaccines or with limited public health experience. Critics say this signals a politicization of vaccine policy and undermines long-standing scientific safeguards.

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Informative Post Style

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Headline:

“RFK Jr. and the COVID Vaccine: Removed from the Childhood Schedule… or Just Reclassified?”

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Post Body:

In May 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — now head of HHS and long known for his anti-vaccine views — announced a major shift: the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be automatically recommended for healthy kids and pregnant women. Instead, it’s now up to shared decision-making between doctors and families.

Why is this controversial?

• The announcement skipped the normal CDC vaccine review process, blindsiding health officials.

• Pediatric and OB-GYN associations warned this could weaken protection for vulnerable groups.

• Insurers may drop coverage if the shot is no longer “officially recommended.”

What does this mean in practice?
The COVID shot didn’t vanish, but it lost its place as a standard vaccine for kids. That makes it less likely to be offered, less likely to be covered by insurance, and more politically charged than ever.

Conspiracy or calculated policy?
Critics see this as a strategic move: remove the automatic recommendation, dismantle scientific advisory boards, and sow confusion around vaccines. The effect? A slow erosion of trust in public health institutions — and a victory for those pushing against mandatory vaccination.

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Bottom Line:

Dave Asprey’s viral claim isn’t fully wrong — but it’s oversimplified. RFK Jr. didn’t “delete” the COVID vaccine from the childhood schedule altogether. Instead, he downgraded it from a routine recommendation to an optional one, with potentially huge consequences for public health and vaccine policy in America.

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👉 Sources: Washington Post, Vanity Fair, ABC News

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