Colorado has announced its unwavering commitment to its long-standing childhood vaccine recommendations, choosing to align with science-based guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) rather than the recent federal changes. This decision by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) follows a significant overhaul of the federal childhood immunization schedule by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration. The federal changes, announced on January 5, 2026, reduced the number of vaccines routinely recommended for all children from 17 to 11. This shift specifically impacts universal recommendations for vaccines covering diseases such as influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, and COVID-19, moving them to categories for high-risk groups or subject to 'shared clinical decision-making' between parents and healthcare providers. Critics, including Colorado officials, have noted that these federal adjustments were made without the customary review process by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), whose members were reportedly replaced by Secretary Kennedy. Colorado's proactive approach includes state laws passed in 2025, such as House Bill 25-1027 and Senate Bill 25-196, which were designed to decouple state vaccine guidance from federal recommendations. These laws ensure that Colorado schools can continue to follow the 2025 AAP immunization schedule and that state-regulated health insurance plans will maintain coverage for these preventive vaccines, irrespective of federal changes. Colorado health officials emphasize that their guidance remains 'rooted in decades of strong scientific evidence and real-world experience,' prioritizing public health and informed decision-making based on established medical consensus. This move establishes a clear divergence in vaccine policy, with several other Western states also indicating their intent to follow similar independent guidelines.