LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services continues to recommend the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy and for every person six months and older to protect from serious illness.

The recommendation is in alignment with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The Health and Human Service director recently issued guidance to change COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant persons. According to a Monday press release, the MDHHS says that the COVID-19 vaccine remains safe during pregnancy, and vaccination can protect children, women and their infants after birth. Maternal vaccination during pregnancy can reduce the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization for infants by more than half during the first three months of life.

“There is strong evidence that supports COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and for pediatric patients,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan, in Monday’s press release. “Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that children under six months of age are at the highest risk for hospitalization, and that more than 40% of those hospitalized had no underlying conditions. The COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to prevent complications of infection. We urge Michigan residents to talk to their health care providers about getting vaccinated.”

MDHHS continually reviews evidence on new and existing vaccines. This evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that vaccines are safe and saved millions of lives and prevented tens of millions of hospitalizations in the United States over the past 30 years. The 2023 to 2024 vaccine reduced the risk of COVID-19-associated emergency room and urgent care visits by 65 to 70% for children in the first two months after vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccine was approved following rigorous testing and safety review processes, including clinical trials and review by medical experts. It continues to be tested in large clinical trials to ensure it meets established safety standards. The vaccine also received medical and safety review and authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the CDC director. Following national approval, MDHHS reviews all FDA and CDC recommendations to provide clinical guidance to Michigan providers and the public.

COVID-19 continues to cause illness, hospitalization and death, and the vaccine continues to be an important tool in preventing severe illness and death. To protect and promote the health and safety of all residents, MDHHS encourages everyone to stay up to date on all vaccinations. To learn more about COVID-19 and seasonal respiratory illnesses and how to protect yourself, visit michigan.gov/covidflursv.