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Recent media coverage and public discussion about potential changes to national childhood immunization recommendations have raised questions and created uncertainty among school nurses, families, and education leaders. While OASN/NASN does not issue clinical immunization guidelines, school nurses are responsible for implementing immunization requirements in schools and supporting families when national guidance becomes unclear or contested. NASN’s recently published statement is intended to provide clarity, reinforce the importance of evidence-based decision-making, and center the real-world impact of policy uncertainty on schools, students, and health equity.
Also of reference is NASN's Position Statement: Immunization and Vaccination Requirement
School Nurse Talking Points
In 2026, OASN/NASN wants to provide more advocacy support to affiliates, including issue identification, training, and messaging. More will be coming out about that in the coming months. Starting with this position statement, we plan to share optional talking points for state affiliates.
- The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is concerned that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is changing childhood immunization recommendations in ways that could reduce the number of vaccines recommended for U.S. children, from 17 - 11.
- The proposed vaccine schedule is modeled after European countries (specifically Denmark), which have fundamentally different health care systems and much smaller, more centralized populations than the United States.
- U.S. health policy cannot be effectively modeled after smaller, dissimilar nations with different public health infrastructures and delivery systems.
- Unlike previous schedules, these new recommendations are not based on the same level of scientific evidence and consensus.
- Limiting vaccines to “high-risk” groups may result in insurance companies refusing coverage for vaccines that parents and physicians believe are necessary for children.
- The United States is already experiencing large measles outbreaks, demonstrating the real-world consequences of reduced vaccination coverage.
- These changes risk increasing public distrust in science and vaccines, reinforcing the false perception that vaccines are optional rather than essential for public health.
- Increased illness will place a greater burden on schools, including higher absenteeism due to illness, quarantine or exclusion after exposure, and outbreak management.
- Families will be impacted as parents and caregivers are forced to miss work to care for sick children or comply with school exclusion policies.
- Differences between federal recommendations and state or regional public health guidance may further complicate vaccine implementation and enforcement in schools.
- School nurses are the front line of health care in schools ensuring immunization policies protect children and enable schools to function safely and effectively in the United States.
- School nurses rely on clear, evidence-based immunization guidance to protect student health and support learning. Sudden or non-evidence-based changes create confusion for families, strain schools, and disproportionately affect under-resourced communities.
- Stable, evidence-based immunization recommendations are essential for schools to function safely and equitably. When national guidance is disrupted, school nurses are left managing confusion and conflict that undermines trust, prevention, and student attendance.
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