'We will see outbreaks': South Florida pediatrician's warning on new childhood vaccine guidance
By Ammy Galeano
January 7, 2026 at 11:38 AM EST
South Florida pediatricians have raised concerns about a recent move by U.S. health officials to narrow the list of recommended vaccines for children.
Shots protecting against flu, a respiratory virus called RSV, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B and some forms of meningitis are no longer broadly recommended except for children deemed to be at high risk of infection.
U.S. vaccination rates have been slipping and the share of children with exemptions has reached an all-time high, according to federal data. At the same time, rates of diseases that can be protected against with vaccines, such as measles and whooping cough, are rising across the country.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn is a South Florida pediatrician and co-chair of the legislative committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics Florida Chapter. (1000x1500, AR: 0.6666666666666666)
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, is a South Florida pediatrician and co-chair of the legislative committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics Florida Chapter, said she anticipates a significant drop in vaccination rates. .
"So we will see outbreaks. We've seen outbreaks across the country already, so it doesn't take much for us to dip down to levels of hHerd immunity,.” she said.
Trump administration officials said the overhaul, a move long sought by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., won’t result in families who want the vaccines losing access to them, and said insurance will continue to pay. However, medical experts said the decision creates confusion for parents and could increase preventable diseases.
"Our main goal is to keep children healthy," Gwynn said. "This takes us in the wrong direction."
In the face of conflicting medical guidance, Gwynn said parents should talk to their pediatrician with an open mind, and "not preset ideas of what they think is the right thing for their child to go by."
READ MORE: Florida Democrats urge DeSantis to stop plans to ban childhood vaccine mandates
Clinicians can deploy shared decision-making (SMD) as method of care. It's defined as a collaborative, patient-centered approach in which a doctor and their patient work together to identify an evidence-based care plan based on the patient's preferences.
"Although this is devastating news for us. It doesn't change the fact that the vaccines will be available and we will be able to talk with parents to explain the risks and benefits in hopes that they will follow the recommendations of their pediatrician," Gwynn said.
Gwynn saidys pediatricians are especially concerned about communities like South Florida , — which is a hub for a lot of international travel.
“ There [are] always people that come into our communities that aren't appropriately immunized," Gwynn said. "So if our immunization rates drop and conditions or viruses from the outside come in, it's gonna cause us to have an increased risk for outbreaks.”
Federal health officials announced earlier this week that the changes to the list of recommended childhood vaccinations are effective immediately.
States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While CDC requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the Trump administration’s guidance on vaccines.
Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the state would take steps to eliminate school vaccine mandates. In December, Florida Rep. Jeff Holcomb filed HB 917 that would prevent discrimination based on a patient's vaccination status.
Shots protecting against flu, a respiratory virus called RSV, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B and some forms of meningitis are no longer broadly recommended except for children deemed to be at high risk of infection.
U.S. vaccination rates have been slipping and the share of children with exemptions has reached an all-time high, according to federal data. At the same time, rates of diseases that can be protected against with vaccines, such as measles and whooping cough, are rising across the country.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn is a South Florida pediatrician and co-chair of the legislative committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics Florida Chapter. (1000x1500, AR: 0.6666666666666666)
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, is a South Florida pediatrician and co-chair of the legislative committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics Florida Chapter, said she anticipates a significant drop in vaccination rates. .
"So we will see outbreaks. We've seen outbreaks across the country already, so it doesn't take much for us to dip down to levels of hHerd immunity,.” she said.
Trump administration officials said the overhaul, a move long sought by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., won’t result in families who want the vaccines losing access to them, and said insurance will continue to pay. However, medical experts said the decision creates confusion for parents and could increase preventable diseases.
"Our main goal is to keep children healthy," Gwynn said. "This takes us in the wrong direction."
In the face of conflicting medical guidance, Gwynn said parents should talk to their pediatrician with an open mind, and "not preset ideas of what they think is the right thing for their child to go by."
READ MORE: Florida Democrats urge DeSantis to stop plans to ban childhood vaccine mandates
Clinicians can deploy shared decision-making (SMD) as method of care. It's defined as a collaborative, patient-centered approach in which a doctor and their patient work together to identify an evidence-based care plan based on the patient's preferences.
"Although this is devastating news for us. It doesn't change the fact that the vaccines will be available and we will be able to talk with parents to explain the risks and benefits in hopes that they will follow the recommendations of their pediatrician," Gwynn said.
Gwynn saidys pediatricians are especially concerned about communities like South Florida , — which is a hub for a lot of international travel.
“ There [are] always people that come into our communities that aren't appropriately immunized," Gwynn said. "So if our immunization rates drop and conditions or viruses from the outside come in, it's gonna cause us to have an increased risk for outbreaks.”
Federal health officials announced earlier this week that the changes to the list of recommended childhood vaccinations are effective immediately.
States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While CDC requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the Trump administration’s guidance on vaccines.
Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the state would take steps to eliminate school vaccine mandates. In December, Florida Rep. Jeff Holcomb filed HB 917 that would prevent discrimination based on a patient's vaccination status.