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September 30, 2025
In This Edition
On Sept. 22, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced it is endorsing existing COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from professional medical associations for the 2025-26 vaccine. MDH is encouraging the public and providers to look to these recommendations for the best science-based guidance on immunizations at this time.
MDH is endorsing the updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). These associations developed guidance recommending that all people over 6 months old should have the option to receive the COVID-19 vaccine without additional barriers. There is a strong recommendation for children under 2 years, pregnant women, children and adults with high-risk conditions, and adults age 65 years and older to get vaccinated. More detailed information about the recommendations can be found on COVID-19 Vaccine Access for Minnesotans. For more information regarding the announcement visit State health officials endorse COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from national medical associations.
These resources have been updated to reflect this endorsement:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) convened Sept. 18 and 19. The following recommendations are pending CDC director or Health and Human Services (HHS) approval.
MMRV vaccine
ACIP voted to no longer recommend the combined MMRV vaccine (ProQuad) for children under 4 years of age. Instead, this population should receive separate MMR and varicella vaccines. This decision followed an indication that MMRV is associated with a slightly higher risk of febrile seizures after the first dose compared to separate MMR and varicella vaccine administration. While these seizures are typically benign and the evidence is not new, the committee decided to remove MMRV as an option for the first dose from the schedule. ACIP also approved a revised Vaccines for Children (VFC) resolution, aligning VFC program coverage with the new recommendation.
If your clinic does not typically carry separate vaccine for MMR and varicella, consider placing orders for these products. Review clinic processes that include offering the combination MMRV vaccine to parents of children under 4 years old.
MMRV is still licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children 12 months through 12 years of age, and regardless of the ACIP recommendation, providers may choose to provide the combination vaccine for parents who prefer to decrease the number of needle pokes for their child’s first dose. However, vaccines not included on the CDC immunization schedule may not be covered by insurance. For more information, refer to the AAP Immunization Schedule.
Hepatitis B
The committee reaffirmed the importance of universal testing for hepatitis B infection in pregnancy. A proposed change to delay the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine until one month of age for infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers was tabled for further review. Presentations highlighted that the universal birth dose serves as a safety net, preventing perinatal and household transmission, especially given gaps in prenatal care and maternal screening. Most evidence continues to support the birth dose as safe and effective, and many providers expressed concern that delaying it could increase missed opportunities and new infections. For now, the universal birth dose recommendation remains unchanged.
COVID-19 vaccination
ACIP updated the COVID-19 recommendations to reflect vaccination based on shared clinical decision-making (SCDM) for all people 6 months of age and older. The risk-benefit profile is most favorable for older adults and those at higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. The committee emphasized that providers play a crucial role in guiding patients through informed consent discussions, weighing known risks, uncertainties, and individual health factors. Pharmacists can serve as health care professionals in the SCDM process. As mentioned, MDH endorses evidence-based guidance from AAP, AAFP and ACOG for the administration of the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine.
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