San Francisco Department of Public Health Reaffirms Commitment to Childhood Vaccines

SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is deeply concerned by the federal government’s recent action to arbitrarily revise the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule, substantially reducing the number of vaccinations routinely recommended for U.S. children. These changes put our children and communities at unnecessary risk for preventable diseases.

SFDPH urges the community to recognize the critical importance of childhood immunization. Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy, free from the threat of dangerous—but preventable—diseases. Vaccines are one of the most effective and rigorously studied tools available to protect our children’s health. Maintaining strong, evidence-based childhood vaccination schedules is essential to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and to keeping schools open, families safe and communities resilient.

SFDPH will continue to align with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the West Coast Health Alliance, both of which continue to endorse the evidence-based American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. All child and adolescent immunizations recommended as of December 31, 2025 will remain available and covered by public and private insurers.

“Childhood vaccinations have been a profound public health achievement that saves lives, including here in San Francisco, and any action that casts doubt on their proven effectiveness can do great damage to our communities’ health,” said San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip. “It is a tragedy for any child to become seriously ill or die from an infectious disease that could have been prevented through vaccination. In San Francisco, we will continue to follow the evidence and data, and we encourage all families to stay up to date on all AAP-recommended vaccines.”

SFDPH remains committed to working with our state, regional, medical, and community partners to ensure every child has access to safe and effective vaccines. For more information about vaccine recommendations and coverage in California, please visit the CDPH Public Health For All website.