Vaccine Advisory Panel To Temporarily Halt Push To Stop Recommending mRNA COVID-19 Jabs, Report Claims

A panel that advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccines has backed away from its push to stop recommending the mRNA COVID-19 jabs, for now.

Multiple outlets claimed the shift is related to its potential impact on Republicans in the midterm elections.

A group of experts that advises the CDC on its vaccine recommendations has suspended an anticipated push to stop recommending mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines amid growing concerns inside the Trump administration over its political risks, people familiar with the matter told CNN.… pic.twitter.com/FgpqhB04Yh

— CNN (@CNN) March 12, 2026

CNN has more:

There’s increasing concern among Republicans that further attacks on vaccines will harm the party’s chances in November, and the White House has pushed health officials to focus on more politically appealing issues ahead of the midterm elections.

The plan to stop recommending mRNA Covid shots has been shelved only for the time being, according to the people familiar, and could be still revived at some point in the coming months.

A spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday that the CDC’s committee “has not reconsidered its September 2025 decision to classify COVID vaccines under shared clinical decision-making on the CDC immunization schedules.”

“Additionally, the FDA and ACIP have consistently been aligned: the FDA’s approval of COVID vaccines for high-risk groups and the ACIP’s recommendation to include them on the immunization schedule under shared clinical decision-making, which means the decision to vaccinate is based upon individual patient characteristics, are compatible,” the spokesperson said, according to The Guardian.

According to a Federal Register Notice published in February, the advisory committee is scheduled to receive updates on “ACIP Workgroups and discussions on COVID-19 vaccine injuries and Long-COVID.”

“Recommendation votes may be scheduled for COVID-19 vaccine injuries and Long-COVID and ACIP recommendation methodology,” it added.

The Washington Post shared further:

The panel may vote next week on medical codes for people diagnosed with post-covid vaccine injuries and long covid, which would allow for providers to seek insurance reimbursement to treat those conditions, according to two people familiar with the plans. No additional details have been provided about these topics, but the committee is expected to also grapple with the health effects of the disease.

Harmful side effects from covid-19 mRNA shots have been a focus of some ACIP members. Public health experts say such injuries are rare, and the focus on such events distorts risks while minimizing benefits. Vaccines undergo rigorous safety testing before they are licensed by the FDA, and federal agencies rely on several vaccine safety reporting systems to monitor their safety while in use.

Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, was identified early as a rare side effect of the mRNA shots, investigated extensively and incorporated into clinical guidance.

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Public health authorities recognize long covid as a serious, prolonged set of health problems that can arise months after an initial covid-19 infection and affect virtually any organ system. The CDC defines long covid as a condition with a wide range of symptoms — from fatigue and brain fog to shortness of breath and musculoskeletal pain — that persist or emerge after acute illness, and emphasizes that it can be disabling and affect adults and children alike.