Guam’s Department of Public Health and Social Services said it will continue recommending the standard childhood immunization schedules developed by leading U.S. medical organizations, despite recent changes announced at the federal level.
In a statement issued Wednesday, DPHSS said it stands by the child and adolescent vaccination schedules from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians. The agency advised local health care providers and families to continue following those guidelines.
Officials said the scientific evidence supporting the full immunization schedule for children remains unchanged and continues to show vaccines are effective in protecting against serious diseases.
“Families should still be able to access the full range of childhood immunizations as recommended by the AAP and AAFP to protect their children from serious diseases,” DPHSS said.
The statement follows an announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding updates to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s childhood immunization schedule. Federal officials said vaccines that were shifted to a shared clinical decision-making category will still be covered without out-of-pocket costs under Affordable Care Act-regulated insurance plans, as well as federal programs such as Medicaid and the Vaccines for Children program.
DPHSS acknowledged the federal changes could create confusion among families and providers, particularly regarding school vaccination requirements, clinical procedures and the availability of combination vaccines.
The department said it will continue providing science-based guidance to protect the health of Guam residents and to clarify how national policy changes may affect local practices.