CDC advisors wrestle with Covid-19 vaccine policy in heated session

The panel’s decision to put Covid-19 vaccination in the hands of doctors and patients marks a dramatic shift in U.S. vaccine policy.

The second day of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was dominated by one decision: Covid-19 shots will no longer be blanket policy but left to “individual clinical decision-making.”

The change means patients — particularly those over 65 or with underlying conditions — will now decide with their doctors whether to take the shot. For the first time, the burden shifts from a one-size-fits-all mandate to case-by-case consultation.

After weeks of speculation, ACIP’s vote ended the suspense, but it came after hours of rancorous debate and a day that swung between confusion, confrontation, and open hostility.