The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will continue operating under a charter renewed April 1 that expands its focus on vaccine safety and alters member expertise requirements. The updated charter places greater emphasis on vaccine risks and adverse events and…
Public Health
The CDC has delayed publication of a report on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness that had been scheduled for March 19, according to an April 9 report from The Washington Post. The report found that vaccinated healthy adults reduced their likelihood of…
As the White House works to steer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. toward politically safer topics ahead of 2026 midterm elections, the HHS secretary said April 8 he plans to launch a health podcast. Citing concerns about unpopular anti-vaccine rhetoric, the…
The “Cicada” SARS-CoV-2 variant has been identified in 25 states as of mid-February, though federal experts say the true extent of its spread is likely broader. The BA.3.2 variant first emerged in South Africa in late 2024. As of Feb.…
Earlier availability of COVID-19 vaccines in 2024 compared to 2023 may have contributed to higher vaccination rates among healthcare workers, according to an April 2 CDC report. Between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 respiratory seasons, the percentage of healthcare workers who…
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A majority of states, territories and major cities in the U.S. are extending their immunization season for respiratory syncytial virus, according to an April 2 report from the Association of Immunization Managers. Of the 66 jurisdictions surveyed by the association,…
The CDC has issued a national health advisory warning that medetomidine — a veterinary sedative not approved for human use — is increasingly being detected in the illicit fentanyl supply, raising the risk of overdose and severe withdrawal syndrome. The…
The new “Cicada” variant identified in more than half of U.S. states may be more likely to infect children than adults, CNN reported April 2. The variant, BA.3.2, earned its nickname because it has largely remained undetected or “underground” —…
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health unveiled a $144 million initiative April 2 to study and address the effects of microplastics on human health. The Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics, or STOMP, program will involve two phases. In phase 1,…
As vaccination rates dwindle, public health experts say rare infectious diseases could resurge — which might be happening with a rare, fatal bacterial disease known as Hib, NBC News reported April 2. Haemophilus influenzae type B, commonly shortened to Hib,…