“There is going to likely be a discussion about hepatitis B vaccine, very specifically trying to dislodge the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine and to push it later in life,” said Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. For more than 30 years, the first of three shots of hepatitis B vaccine has been recommended for infants shortly after birth. As of the end of August, this process had not begun for the hepatitis B vaccines, Daskalakis and another former official said. While parents may opt out of the shots, many day care centers and school districts require proof of hepatitis B vaccination for enrollment. Years of navigating the psychological, monetary, medical, and social aspects of chronic hepatitis B has touched almost every aspect of her life.