PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA — The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) reaffirms its support for the childhood immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and continues to follow California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance, which aligns with AAP. There are no changes to vaccine schedules or availability in Long Beach at this time. 

This reaffirmation follows recent changes announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for children. These changes were made without input from subject matter experts and are not based on new scientific evidence. 

The Long Beach Health Department joins the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA), CDPH and other public health leaders in emphasizing that the AAP immunization schedule is built on decades of scientific research, ongoing safety monitoring and real-world public health data. It reflects when children are most vulnerable to disease, how vaccines interact with their immune systems and current access to care. These recommendations are proven to reduce preventable illness, missed school days, missed work for families and hospitalizations. 

Changing vaccine recommendations without a transparent, evidence-based process can cause confusion, reduce public confidence and create new barriers for families and providers. These shifts may increase the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases and place unnecessary burdens on communities already facing disparities in health access. 

National public health organizations, including the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Trust for America’s Health and the Big Cities Health Coalition, have also raised concerns that these changes, which were in part based on comparisons to other countries’ vaccine schedules, could disrupt long-standing protections for children. Comparing U.S. vaccine schedules to other countries without accounting for differences in disease risk, infrastructure and access to care is misleading and not a sound basis for public health decisions.  

The Long Beach Health Department remains committed to science-based practices that protect the health and safety of children and families. People with questions about vaccination schedules should contact their health care provider. For local immunization resources, visit longbeach.gov/immunizations. 

Media inquiries may be directed to the Health Department’s Public Affairs Office at HE-PublicAffairs@longbeach.gov.