WEEKLY UPDATE: 12/11/25
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) continues to recommend that all newborns receive a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of delivery, and all infants should complete the full vaccination series within 18 months. DPH officials have reaffirmed their position amid new federal guidance advising against hepatitis B vaccination for newborns and suggesting parents delay the first dose of the full vaccination series until the child is two months old.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted last week to roll back the longstanding recommendation. The panel instead recommends the shot only for babies whose mothers test positive, and in cases where the mother wasn’t tested. The shots are widely considered to be a public health success for preventing thousands of illnesses. The ACIP recommendation must next be adopted by the CDC director before becoming part of the CDC immunization schedule.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. Chronic infection over the course of a lifetime can lead to liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. Babies can contract hepatitis B from their mothers during childbirth, even if the mother doesn’t know she’s infected. Infants who contract hepatitis B during the first year of life have a 90% chance of developing lifelong chronic hepatitis B infection, and 25% of newborns/infants who develop chronic hepatitis B will die from the disease, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
CT DPH’s recommendations to continue vaccinating every newborn align with the AAP’s Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule and reflect a consensus statement from the Northeast Public Health Collaborative.
“We appreciate the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s reaffirmed guidance on hepatitis B vaccination for newborns,” the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) said in a statement. “This vaccine provides important protection against serious illness. Connecticut hospitals remain dedicated to safe, evidence-based care for every newborn.”
DPH also continues to urge residents to get vaccinated against flu, COVID-19, and RSV, as cases rise and vaccination rates decline. New York reported an 80% spike in flu cases at the end of November.
