After years of streamlined COVID-19 vaccine guidelines, new restrictions handed down by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration look to change that.

Under the new guidelines, vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are approved for all seniors, but only for younger adults and children with health conditions, creating barriers for healthy adults and children to get vaccinated. 

There is no longer a COVID vaccine authorized for healthy children under 5 years old.   

Dr. Teena Chopra, a professor of internal medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Wayne State University, says this will make it harder for many people, including children and younger adults, to get vaccinated.

"It's very confusing. It's very confusing for everybody out there: who can get it, who cannot get it," said Chopra. They have really restricted and narrowed the community of people who can get COVID vaccines."

Chopra added, "The schools are already open. The transmission is going to happen. People are not going to have access to vaccines."

Learning about the vaccine changes was especially painful for Farah Ahmad. The Troy mother recently lost her 14-year-old son, Bilal, to a heart infection that started from a sore throat.

"It is just a really, very scary situation for the young kids, school-going kids. It is just like we are confused as a parent," said Ahmad.

Ahmad says facing a new school year was already challenging enough, but fears trying to keep her younger daughter safe will be even tougher.

"If the FDA is trying to prevent the kids not to have the shot while this is the fall season now coming up, and I don't know, I'm really very confused and about my child health and well-being," she said.

Looking ahead, Chopra encourages parents to talk with their child's pediatrician to come up with a vaccine plan that works for them.

"Trust their recommendations and do what is best for your health and for your kids," said Dr. Chopra.