The new 2026 vaccine schedule: what happened, by date

The events, newest first, each from the document or record that states it.

Where things stand

• The schedule on cdc.gov is the one dated 2 Jul 2025. CDC's page says this is because of the court order of 16 Mar 2026. Source: cdc.gov
• The court order of 16 Mar 2026 stayed the January 2026 HHS change to the schedule. Source: courtlistener.com
• The government has appealed other parts of that order (First Circuit, No. 26-1503). Its reply brief of 21 Jul 2026 says: “The stay of the January 5 Memo is not challenged.” Source: the reply brief, from the court record (PDF)
• The appeal was argued on 6 Oct 2026. Source: the First Circuit docket on CourtListener
• CDC’s vaccine advisory committee (ACIP) shows all three of its 2026 meetings as cancelled “due to ongoing litigation”. The next one listed is 24-26 Feb 2027. Source: cdc.gov

The January 2026 HHS entries below are shown as they were announced and dated. They are not the schedule cdc.gov shows today.

• CDC schedule page, read 12 Nov 2026 The schedule CDC currently publishes on cdc.gov is headed 'Addendum updated July 2, 2025'Source: cdc.gov
• Note on the CDC schedule page, read 12 Nov 2026 CDC's schedule page (cdc.gov)
  Show the exact wording

  “Pursuant to the preliminary order issued on March 16, 2026, in American Academy of Pediatrics et al. v. Kennedy et al., No. 1:25-cv-11916 (D. Mass.), which stayed all votes taken by the ACIP during its June, September and December 2025 meetings, and further stayed the Acting CDC Director’s January 5, 2026 Decision Memo revising the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule, the July 2, 2025 immunization schedule posted here is the current CDC Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age for Healthcare Professionals.”
  Source: cdc.gov
• 6 Oct 2026 CourtListener docket for the First Circuit appeal, AAP v. Kennedy, No. 26-1503
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  “Date Argued: Oct. 6, 2026”
  Source: courtlistener.com
• 11 Sep 2026 US District Court, D. Mass., AAP v. Kennedy (1:25-cv-11916), docket entry 354, 11 Sep 2026
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  “Judge Brian E. Murphy: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered GRANTING 352 Motion to Stay Proceedings Pending Resolution of the First Circuit Appeal. The case is STAYED until the Court of Appeals issues a decision.”
  Source: courtlistener.com
• 10 Aug 2026 Executive Order 14420, signed 10 Aug 2026, published in the Federal Register 14 Aug 2026
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  “However, implementation of my Administration's prior directives regarding childhood vaccines has been delayed due to litigation over the composition of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and separate updates to the Federal vaccine schedule.”
  Source: federalregister.gov
• 21 Jul 2026 The government's reply brief to the First Circuit, AAP v. Kennedy, No. 26-1503, served 21 Jul 2026, printed page 5
  Show the exact wording

  “The stay of the January 5 Memo is not challenged.”
  Source: storage.courtlistener.com
• 17 Jun 2026 The government's opening brief to the First Circuit, AAP v. Kennedy, No. 26-1503, served 17 Jun 2026, Introduction
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  “It does not seek to disturb the stay of the January 5 Memo, which rests on independent grounds, and it does not ask this Court to disturb the stay of the CDC-adopted ACIP votes in the interim; on remand, the district court may consider whether that relief is warranted under the counts that remain.”
  Source: storage.courtlistener.com
• 29 May 2026 EO 14407 (signed 29 May 2026, published 3 Jun 2026) directs CDC and ACIP to review the assessment and take appropriate steps to update the scheduleSource: federalregister.gov
• 30 Apr 2026 US District Court, D. Mass., AAP v. Kennedy (1:25-cv-11916), docket entry 308, 30 Apr 2026
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  “USCA Case Number 26-1503 for 306 Notice of Appeal filed by National Institutes of Health, Marty Makary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention”
  Source: courtlistener.com
• 16 Mar 2026 US District Court, D. Mass., AAP v. Kennedy (1:25-cv-11916), docket entry 291, Judge Brian E. Murphy, 16 Mar 2026
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  “MEMORANDUM AND ORDER on Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary relief is GRANTED in part.(i) The Court STAYS the January 2026 Memo revising the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 705. (ii) The Court STAYS the appointments of the thirteen ACIP members appointed on June 11, 2025, September 11, 2025, and January 13, 2026. (iii) The Court further STAYS all votes taken by the now-stayed ACIP.”
  Source: courtlistener.com
• 26 Jan 2026 The AAP published its 2026 schedule on 26 Jan 2026, recommending routine immunization against 18 diseases; its article says the recommendations differ from a schedule recently issued by CDCSource: healthychildren.org
• 5 Jan 2026 On 5 Jan 2026 Acting CDC Director Jim O'Neill signed a decision memorandum accepting the HHS scientific assessment and updating the childhood scheduleSource: hhs.gov (archived copy)
• 5 Jan 2026 HHS (fact sheet, 5 Jan 2026) said CDC would continue to recommend that all children be immunized against 10 diseases plus varicella; other immunizations to be for high-risk groups or shared clinical decision-makingSource: hhs.gov (archived copy)
• 5 Jan 2026 HHS (fact sheet, 5 Jan 2026) contrasted its new schedule with the CDC schedule at the end of 2024, which recommended 17 immunizations for all childrenSource: hhs.gov (archived copy)

All entries on this page were checked against their sources on or after 12 Nov 2026.

The two schedules side by side: CDC and AAP compared. For school rules, pick your state. For the counts, how many vaccines by age 6.