New Trump Order Changes Vaccine Schedule: What It Means For NJ Children

New Jersey's childhood vaccine requirements will not change despite President Donald Trump signing a federal executive order recommending fewer routine vaccines for children.

On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that recognized new "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations."

The order sorts different vaccinations into categories and advocates for separating the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three different single-disease shots. The order also promotes Trump's theory that childhood immunizations should be administered at separate appointments whenever possible.

The state Department of Health(NJDOH) said the President's order does not affect New Jersey law, and the vaccine schedule used by families and providers remains in place.

Children are still recommended to receive vaccines on time, at the ages shown to provide the best protection.

The NJDOH also said vaccines remain among the safest and most effective public health tools available. It said the claim that vaccines cause autism has been extensively studied and disproven.

"Protecting children from preventable disease is one of the most fundamental responsibilities we hold, and it is one we take seriously," said Dr. Raynard E. Washington, New Jersey Health Commissioner. "Families deserve clear, science-based guidance, not confusion. The evidence behind childhood vaccines is clear, it has not changed, and New Jersey will continue to make sure every family can access the vaccines that keep their children safe."

The Department of Health said it will use its full authority to keep vaccines accessible across New Jersey and to provide information to families, providers, schools and local health partners.

Parents and caregivers with questions are advised to speak with their child's pediatrician or healthcare provider.

Residents can find New Jersey's childcare, preschool, K-12 and higher education immunization requirements, along with information on low- or no-cost vaccines, at nj.gov/health/vaccines.

New Jersey also said it stands by a statement released by the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, a coalition of states, territories and large cities of which New Jersey is a founding member.

The collaborative said it "firmly stands in support of science-based vaccination recommendations."

The NEPHC also reaffirmed "its earlier endorsement of the 2026 childhood and adolescent immunization schedules issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which have also been endorsed by numerous other medical organizations."

The coalition statement said those schedules reflect current scientific evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness and are based on disease risks and healthcare delivery in the United States.

It also warned against weakening confidence in the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine during what it described as the largest measles outbreak in decades.

"Undermining confidence in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine — used for over five decades — during the largest measles outbreak in decades will lead to additional measles cases and, potentially, deaths. Immunizations save lives, and parents should be able to trust that the health recommendations they receive are based on science," the Northeast Public Health Collaborative said.