Global Snapshot: COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance in 2025

The debate over COVID-19 vaccination looks very different depending on where you stand.
While the U.S. has entered a full-scale clash between AAP, CDC, and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., other countries have taken quieter, more conservative approaches.

Australia (ATAGI)

Healthy children under 18 — not recommended.
Children with medical risk factors — eligible, annual boosters.
Adults 75+ — boosters every 6 months.
ATAGI has not shifted in response to U.S. controversies; guidance remains stable and risk-based.

Canada (NACI)

Children 6 months–4 years — two-dose Moderna regimen if unvaccinated, but mainly emphasized for immunocompromised or medically vulnerable.
Additional doses for immunocompromised children.
No blanket recommendation for healthy kids.
NACI continues to back both mRNA and protein-subunit vaccines for broader use, but keeps pediatrics risk-focused.

United Kingdom (JCVI)

Reversal since 2022: universal 5–11 rollout withdrawn.
Healthy young children — eligible for at most a single dose, not a series.
High-risk kids — still offered vaccination.
Emphasis is on protecting the vulnerable, not mass pediatric uptake.

United States (CDC vs AAP)

CDC: Shared decision-making for healthy kids; no broad recommendation.
AAP: Strong recommendation for children 6 months–2 years, and optional for older kids.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr.: Warning doctors about liability if they diverge from CDC, sparking legal and political fights.

The Takeaway

Australia, Canada, UK: Conservative, risk-based, cautious with pediatric recommendations.
United States: An outlier — divided, politicized, and now legally contested.