Maine will continue to follow guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding childhood vaccine recommendations despite an executive order from President Donald Trump, according to a August 11 statement from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC).
Governor Janet Mills stated that Maine will continue to follow science and facts, noting that the state's approach to vaccines remains unchanged by the recent executive order. Mills said that President Trump and Secretary Kennedy are playing politics with the lives of children and asserted that vaccines are safe, effective, and save lives.
Dr. Puthiery Va, Director of the Maine CDC, stated that vaccines are the most effective defense against vaccine-preventable illnesses. According to Dr. Va, vaccines remain available at no cost to eligible children through the Maine CDC’s Immunization Program, and Maine’s school and child care immunization requirements have not been changed by federal actions to date.
The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement on August 10 in response to the executive order. The organization stated that its vaccine recommendations are tailored to the health of children in the United States and are based on decades of research and systematic tracking of real-world experiences. The AAP noted that pediatricians recommend specific vaccines at certain ages based on when immune systems respond best and when children are most vulnerable to disease.
Maine removed non-medical exemptions from school and child care immunization requirements in 2021 pursuant to Public Law 2019, Ch. 154. This decision was upheld by a 72.81 percent vote from Maine voters at the ballot box in 2020.
