President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday cutting the number of universally recommended childhood vaccines from 18 to 11, a change drawing a response from Connecticut health officials and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The executive order recognizes 11 core childhood vaccinations against what Trump described as the most serious and dangerous diseases. The order comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist, has worked to overhaul the childhood vaccine schedule. The Connecticut Department of Public Health said in response to the executive order that it stands behind “evidence-based” vaccination recommendations. The American Academy of Pediatrics also criticized the executive order, saying in part:“Today's executive order will do nothing to support families of children with autism or advance understanding of the condition.