Covid-19 Shots Cut ER Visits for Kids, CDC Finds
A new analysis from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that children who received last season’s updated Covid-19 vaccine faced far lower risks of visiting emergency departments or urgent care facilities due to the virus. The findings highlight the continued protective benefits of Covid-19 vaccination for young people, even as national vaccine policies shift.
Strong Protection Across Age Groups
According to the report, the updated Covid-19 vaccines were about 76% effective in preventing emergency or urgent care visits among healthy children ages 9 months to 4 years. For children and teens ages 5 to 17, the vaccines were roughly 56% effective when compared with those who skipped the updated shot for the 2024–25 respiratory virus season.
The CDC based its assessment on data collected from approximately 98,000 children who tested positive for Covid-19 between late August 2024 and early September 2025. Information was gathered from 250 emergency departments and urgent care clinics across nine states participating in a CDC-supported research network.
Researchers noted that many children already had some level of immunity from previous infections or earlier vaccine doses. Even so, the updated Covid-19 shot provided additional, meaningful protection during the season.
Vaccination Policy Shifts and Ongoing Debate
For the 2024–25 respiratory virus season, the CDC recommended Covid-19 vaccination for everyone aged six months and older. However, major changes followed soon after. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — the expert panel responsible for national vaccine recommendations — was fully replaced by appointees selected by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Under the adjusted CDC guidance, Covid-19 vaccination for children ages 6 months to 17 years is now advised based on “shared clinical decision-making,” meaning parents and health care providers must weigh the decision individually.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, continues to explicitly recommend Covid-19 vaccination for all eligible children, diverging from the updated CDC stance.
CDC researchers say it is not yet clear how shifting from a universal recommendation to an individual-based approach will affect future vaccine uptake or effectiveness trends in children. They stress that continued monitoring is essential.
Concerns Over Vaccine Messaging and Misinformation
Recent changes in federal vaccine policy have raised alarms among former health officials, particularly regarding statements made about vaccine safety. The FDA is examining reports of deaths “across multiple age groups” after vaccination, though no evidence has been presented linking these deaths directly to Covid-19 vaccines.
Some officials, including Dr. Vinay Prasad of the FDA, have publicly questioned the need for Covid-19 vaccination in children, noting that the virus is generally less severe in younger populations. Critics argue these claims overlook data showing that children can still experience serious complications.
Covid-19 Still Poses Risks to Children
Despite declining hospitalization rates compared with earlier waves of the pandemic, about 38,000 children were hospitalized with Covid-19 during the 2023–24 season. Infants had the highest hospitalization rates among youth, surpassed only by older adults.
In the new report, there was not enough data to evaluate how well the vaccine prevented hospitalization because only about 13% of children received the updated shot last season.
Experts emphasize that vaccines continue to offer benefits. Dr. Amesh Adalja of Johns Hopkins University notes that Covid-19 vaccination helps reduce medical visits and disruptions to daily life: “This data shows the vaccine genuinely helps the individual. If you can avoid an ER visit for your child, why wouldn’t you?”
