Potomac families now have a single state-backed list of recommended vaccines for every age group, after Maryland issued its first-ever independent vaccine schedule Thursday, Sept. 10.

Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani released separate 2026–2027 schedules for children and adults under her new authority in the Vax Act, a law signed by Gov. Wes Moore that took effect July 1. The children's schedule lists 18 vaccines from birth through age 18. The adult schedule covers 16 vaccines across age groups and for pregnant residents, according to CBS Baltimore.

The move comes as Maryland's confirmed measles cases climbed to 40 this year. The state recorded three in all of 2025.

What the Vax Act means for families

The law does two things Potomac parents will notice at the pharmacy counter. Insurers must now cover all state-recommended immunizations at zero out-of-pocket cost. Pharmacists can administer recommended vaccines to anyone age 3 and older without a prescription, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

The schedule does not create new vaccine mandates.

Maryland's existing school-entry vaccination requirements remain unchanged.

The Vax Act (House Bill 637 and Senate Bill 385) gives the health secretary authority to set vaccine recommendations independent of federal agencies such as the CDC or FDA. The state schedule aligns instead with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as Maryland Matters reported.

That distinction matters because the CDC earlier this year narrowed its broad recommendations for several childhood vaccines, including rotavirus, influenza, COVID-19 and hepatitis A and B. Maryland's schedule continues to recommend those shots.

Measles backdrop

Deputy Director of Public Health Services Meg Sullivan said the 40 confirmed cases are far above a typical year. The state declared measles outbreaks in St. Mary's, Carroll and Cecil counties in late August after identifying 14 new cases in unvaccinated residents. All 17 cases recorded since mid-July involved unvaccinated people, according to Dr. Christopher Rogers, as MyMCMedia reported Sept. 3.

"Measles in the state are very top of mind and something we are watching very closely," Sullivan said on a Sept. 10 call with reporters. "We're hoping this schedule is part of a broader effort to continue to maintain our high MMR vaccine rates across the state and hopefully prevent future cases of measles."

More than 96% of Maryland kindergartners are consistently reported as vaccinated, according to the health department. Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis said in early August that the county's back-to-school vaccination rates were ahead of the prior year's pace.

Still, religious exemptions statewide are rising. About 2.1% of Maryland kindergarten families, more than 1,300 of 65,500 students, requested a religious exemption from required vaccinations in the 2025–2026 school year, Maryland Matters reported.

What to do now

Sullivan called the end of October a "good target date" for families to complete annual flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations. Uninsured or underinsured residents can receive recommended vaccines at no cost through the Maryland Vaccines for Children Program and the Maryland Vaccine Program. The full schedules are available on the Maryland Department of Health website.