The biggest shift yet in U.S. vaccine policy

The U.S. is in the midst of its biggest overhaul yet to childhood vaccinations, and it is already impacting how families are thinking about immunizing their children. President Donald Trump recently directed a review of the longstanding childhood vaccine schedule. And just last week, an influential vaccine panel recommended dropping the universal birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns, even though medical associations said they lacked evidence and data to support the change. Today on “Post Reports,” national health reporter Lena Sun breaks down the implications of dropping the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, and how, if the change is approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it could affect children’s health nationwide. Then, host Martine Powers speaks with Dr. Nola Jean Ernest about how a growing skepticism toward vaccines is affecting her practice and how she is managing to make the case to patients in the Wiregrass region of Alabama that vaccines matter.Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks to editor Fenit Nirappil.  Subscribe to The Washington Post here.