Michigan’s childhood vaccine recommendations remain unchanged

LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is encouraging residents to get up to date on recommended vaccines before the start of the school year, as Michigan continues to follow evidence-based vaccine guidance outlined in the Standing Recommendation.

In December 2025, Michigan's Chief Medical Executive issued a Standing Recommendation, supporting vaccine recommendations grounded in rigorous scientific evidence and transparent decision-making. The Standing Recommendation advises clinicians to use the immunization schedules developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and endorsed by 12 leading medical and health care organizations including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association and others as the standards of care for immunization practices.

"Michigan's childhood vaccine recommendations, school requirements and exemption processes remain unchanged, even in light of the recent federal executive order," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. "We understand that shifts in federal guidance can create uncertainty for parents and physicians, so we want to provide clarity. Michigan continues to support the immunization schedules outlined in our Standing Recommendation, which remain the foundation of our approach to protecting children's health."

MDHHS continually reviews evidence regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness, and there is no new data to support changes to the vaccine schedule at this time. Combination vaccines, including the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, have a long history of safety and effectiveness and can reduce the number of injections that children need.

With Michigan children set to return to school over the next few weeks, and U.S. measles cases reaching a 35-year high while Michigan records increases in measles, whooping cough and other vaccine-preventable diseases, now is the time for parents and caregivers to make sure that their children are up to date on vaccinations.

Parents can contact their child's health care provider to request their immunization record. Records can also be requested through their local health department or MCIR.org/Public. Additionally, parents can look up their school's immunization and waiver rates on the MDHHS website before the school year starts.

MDHHS will continue to provide Michigan families with science-based guidance to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Visit IVaccinate.org and Michigan.gov/Immunize for more information on vaccines.