A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that Covid vaccines continue to offer strong protection against severe illness in healthy children, despite recent doubts raised by some federal health officials. The research shows that from late August 2024 through early September 2025, Covid shots reduced the risk of emergency room and urgent care visits by 76% for children aged 9 months to 4 years and by 56% for those aged 5 to 17.
The study analyzed roughly 98,000 visits and focused on the additional protection provided by the 2024-2025 Covid vaccines, regardless of prior infections or vaccinations. Experts say the findings reinforce the vaccines’ effectiveness for children, countering claims that there is little evidence supporting continued Covid immunization in healthy kids. The release also comes amid concerns about political influence at the CDC and interruptions to the agency’s scientific operations, including layoffs in its Office of Science. Public health experts welcomed the report, emphasizing that it underscores the ongoing value of Covid vaccination in preventing severe illness in children.