Conversation about COVID-19 vaccines and boosters on social media in late August and early September reflected confusion about eligibility following an FDA decision to only approve updated booster shots for people age 65 and older, or with underlying health conditions. The limited approval represents a shift from previous recommendations that included healthy children and young adults. The change follows a May announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that COVID-19 vaccines would no longer be recommended for healthy pregnant people and only after a shared clinical decision-making process for healthy children. Online reaction to the FDA decision combined praise for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with the spread of false vaccine safety claims.
Changing COVID-19 Booster Policies and Florida’s Decision to End Vaccine Mandates Create Confusion
September 11, 2025