FILE PHOTO: A nurse fills up a syringe with COVID-19 vaccine in Waterford, Michigan, U.S., April 8, 2022. REUTERS/Emily Elconin/File Photo

(Reuters) -The American Academy of Pediatrics on Tuesday recommended that all young children get vaccinated against COVID-19, differing from federal policy that no longer recommends routine vaccination for healthy children.

In its latest policy document, AAP said all young children aged 6-23 months should receive a COVID-19 shot regardless of previous doses or SARS-CoV-2 infection. It also advised vaccination for older children in certain risk groups.

The U.S. pediatric group's recommendations diverge from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which in May said healthy children can take the shots if parents and doctors agree it is needed.

Shared clinical decision-making, which involves parents and doctors, can be difficult to implement as it lacks clear guidance and does not emphasize the importance of vaccinating high risk individuals, AAP said.

"We call on the AAP to strengthen conflict-of-interest safeguards and keep its publications free from financial influence," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday.

In a post on social media platform X, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said AAP should also inform doctors that recommendations that are not in line with CDC's official vaccine list are not covered under the 1986 Vaccine Injury Act, which protect manufacturers and healthcare providers from lawsuits.

Prior to the new guidance, CDC routinely recommended updated COVID vaccines for everyone aged six months and older, in line with the advice of its panel of outside experts.

In early July, the AAP and other major medical groups sued Secretary Kennedy Jr. for unilaterally removing routine vaccination recommendations.

The rate of COVID-19 hospitalization for children under 2 years is the highest among pediatric age groups, and for children aged 6-23 months, it is comparable to people aged 50-64 years, AAP said, citing CDC data.

(Reporting by Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona and Arun Koyyur)