WASHINGTON (TNND) — Breaking from President Donald Trump’s administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics published an immunization schedule that includes the COVID-19 vaccine as a recommendation for children.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed the COVID-19 vaccine as a recommendation for children and pregnant women in May.

Since then, Kennedy faced backlash from doctors and, now, the pediatric society. The organization announced that it released its own “evidence-based immunization schedule.”

“The AAP will continue to provide recommendations for immunizations that are rooted in science and are in the best interest of the health of infants, children and adolescents,” said AAP President Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, in a written statement. “Pediatricians know how important routine childhood immunizations are in keeping children, families and their communities healthy and thriving.”

The association defended its decision, saying that COVID-19 continues to impact children, resulting in hospitalization and death.

“We extensively reviewed the most recently available data about COVID-19 risks in kids, as well as the safety and effectiveness of available COVID-19 vaccines. It’s clear they are very safe for all populations. Among the reasons we decided to move to a risk-based recommendation for healthy older children is the fact that the hospitalization rate for young children and children with underlying medical conditions remains high, in line with rates for many of the other vaccine-preventable diseases for which we vaccinate,” O’Leary added.

Kennedy jabbed back at the association. Writing on X, he blamed their decision on the organization being angry that the Centers for Disease Control “eliminated corporate influence” in vaccine decisions.

As for theCDC, they never fully went with Kennedy’s new guidelines. Instead, they recommend that a child and their parent consult a doctor before getting the shot. Thirteen percent of all eligible children are up to date on the COVID-19 vaccine, according to CDC estimates.

When Kennedy removed the COVID-19 vaccine from the schedule, doctors criticized him for the decision.

“Everybody should probably talk to their doctor to try to determine what makes the most sense for them. And then, having said that, the vaccine is still the best way to protect yourself against severe infection, severe outcomes and death,” Dr. S. Wesley Long, medical director of microbiology at Houston Methodist, said.

Dr. David Hill, the chair of the American Lung Association board of directors, said the typical process for vaccine decisions is to ask a panel of experts before changing the schedule.

Kennedy reshuffled his vaccine panel and hired eight new controversial figures in June.