The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is urging families to continue following state childhood vaccine recommendations despite changes to federal guidance. In an Aug. 13 press release, the OHA stated that a new White House executive order does not change the state's position on "evidence-based vaccine guidance."

On Aug. 10, President Donald Trump signed an executive order limiting the recommended childhood vaccine schedule from 18 diseases to 11. The order also directs federal health officials to review the timing and sequencing of vaccinations. This move aligns with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to change U.S. vaccine policy. In a Request for Information published Monday in the Federal Register, Kennedy asked for public comment over the next 30 days regarding whether vaccine classifications should be adjusted.

The OHA is continuing to follow recommendations from the West Coast Health Alliance, which endorsed the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 child and adolescent immunization schedule.

“We continue to stand with the data and the science,” OHA Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger said. “We know that the recommended vaccines that we continue to recommend here in Oregon, the vaccines that are required for school entry continue to be safe, will keep kids healthy, and those around them healthy. And so, we have not changed a line with the federal government because we see no reason to.”

The differing guidance arrives as Oregon reports an increase in measles cases. The state has reported 46 confirmed cases since the start of 2026, surpassing the number from its 2024 outbreak. Oregon reported one confirmed case in 2025.

Oregon requires two doses of the measles vaccine for children entering kindergarten, as well as for children attending childcare facilities and students at post-secondary colleges and universities. Parents may obtain medical or nonmedical exemptions.