Panel elects to include COVID shots among the crucial vaccinations.

NEW YORK – A panel of US vaccine specialists said Thursday that Covid-19 shots must be added to the lists of vaccinations for children and adults.

The majority decision of the panel has no immediate impact because COVID-19 shots are already strongly advised for almost all Americans. Rather, the shots would be added to the annual up to date, formal lists of vaccinations that doctors should routinely offer to their patient populations, alongside polio, measles, and hepatitis shots.

The expert panel’s recommendations are almost always embraced by the CDC director and distributed to drs as part of the government’s disease prevention advice.

State and local officials frequently consult lists when determining vaccination requirements for school attendance, but local officials do not always follow through.

COVID-19 shots beginning in late 2020, were initially authorized under emergency authorization measures.

Most of the shots have been licensed by the government over time, but booster doses and shots for children under the age of 12 have yet to receive full approval.

Nevertheless, because the shots are already strongly advised under emergency approval for Americans over the age of six months, federal officials say the decision makes little difference.

Previously this week, the same advisory group voted unanimously to include COVID-19 shots in a program that provides free vaccines to children who would otherwise not be vaccinated.

This is in preparation for the day when the federal government no longer pays for all COVID-19 shots, like it has been doing.