Health Department Outlines Major Reduction in Consensus Vaccine Schedule

Will County Board Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting | January 7, 2026

Article Summary: Will County Health Department Executive Director Elizabeth Bilotta clarified changes to the childhood immunization schedule, noting a reduction in “consensus” vaccines aimed at rebuilding public trust. While the recommended list has shrunk, insurance will still cover all available vaccines.

Vaccine Schedule Key Points:

• Consensus Shift: The schedule has moved from 17 vaccines down to 11 “consensus” vaccines.

• Dose Reduction: The total number of doses for the consensus schedule has dropped from approximately 71 to the low 30s.

• Insurance Coverage: Medicaid and private insurance will continue to cover all vaccines, including those no longer on the consensus list.

• Goal: The change is an evidence-based strategy by the CDC and FDA designed to combat vaccine hesitancy.

JOLIET, Ill. — During the January 7, 2026, Public Health and Safety Committee meeting, Will County Health Department officials detailed a significant shift in the recommended childhood vaccination schedule, aimed at simplifying protocols and addressing public skepticism.

Responding to questions from Committee Chair Daniel Butler (R-Frankfort), Executive Director Elizabeth Bilotta confirmed that the standard schedule has been reduced from 17 vaccines to 11 “consensus” vaccines.

“We’re cautiously looking at this, hoping that this will instill some more trust in public health and in the vaccination system,” Bilotta told the committee. She noted that recent data suggested public trust had been “depleted,” leading to lower vaccination rates and subsequent outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles.

Chair Butler sought clarification on the volume of shots children receive, citing reports of a reduction from “79 to 11.” Bilotta clarified that while the number of distinct vaccines dropped from 17 to 11, the total number of individual doses or injections dropped from approximately 71 to around 30.

“It’s different vaccines [that] have different doses,” Bilotta explained. She emphasized that while the consensus list has exhausted, parents can still choose to administer the non-consensus vaccines in partnership with their pediatricians. Insurance providers and the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program will continue to cover all 17 vaccines.

The discussion touched on the necessity of vaccines versus natural immunity. Butler questioned why adults do not require the same volume of shots as children.

“Of course, there is some natural immunity that you obtain as you become an adult,” Bilotta said. “And of course, the children have not been exposed to those things. So they have no natural immunity.”

Bilotta described the new schedule as “evidence-based science” intended to streamline care while maintaining protection against outbreaks.