Colorado continues to recommend children receive six vaccinations despite the federal government switching its guidance on them. 

The Trump administration now says the necessity of vaccinations for a raft of diseases and infections should be decided between the doctor and the parent, while previously it recommended universal vaccinations. 

President Donald Trump in December directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review vaccine recommendations from peer nations and recommend any changes to vaccination schedules based on those findings. That review resulted in changed recommendations, announced Monday, for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

The Colorado Board of Health, in accordance with a 2025 state law, updated state vaccine guidance so that it could rely on science-based recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other authorities, in addition to the federal government. Legislators passed that law out of fear that the Trump administration would make recommendations for vaccinations that are inconsistent with scientific evidence.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommends families follow the AAP’s recommended vaccination schedule, which encourages the six shots on which the federal government changed its guidance.

“Colorado’s vaccine guidance is rooted in decades of strong scientific evidence and real-world experience,” Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer at CDPHE, said in a statement. “Regardless of changes at the federal level, our priority is ensuring families and providers have trusted, evidence-based guidance to keep children and communities healthy.”

Health insurance companies will continue to fully cover the six vaccines for children. School vaccine requirements in Colorado also remain the same. 

“Vaccines have an exceptional safety record and remain one of the most effective tools we have to prevent serious disease,” Dr. Rachel Herlihy, deputy chief medical officer at CDPHE, said in a statement. “Colorado will continue to follow expert guidance that reflects the best available science and supports informed decision-making between families and their health care providers, as always.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis celebrated the appointment of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spent decades spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about vaccines and other health issues. Polis spokesperson Derek Dash said the new changes won’t affect vaccines in Colorado, and Polis “remains committed to ensuring that Coloradans have access to safe, effective vaccines and clear, science-based information so they can make informed decisions about their health.”

“We are protecting access, minimizing confusion, and empowering individuals to choose the protections that are right for them,” Dash said in a statement. 

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, said all reputable health care providers say the federal change is dangerous. She said Trump and RFK Jr. are “sabotaging the future of American medicine.” 

“This reckless change in the vaccine schedule by RFK Jr. and his hand-picked team of anti-vaxxers is a direct attack on the health of every American,” DeGette said in a statement. “Without these vaccines, more children will die from preventable illnesses.”

Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com.