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…
Public Health
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,…
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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,…
The CDC has published its first full measles virus genomes tied to the ongoing U.S. outbreak — a delayed move that may mark the end of the country’s measles elimination status, according to an April 2 KFF Health News report.…
The CDC has paused testing for rabies and pox viruses, according to a March 30 update on its website; the agency did not cite a specific reason. The move comes as national lab capacity faces mounting strain from prolonged workforce…
The CDC is tracking a new SARS-CoV-2 variant — BA.3.2 — that has been identified in 23 countries, including the U.S. BA.3.2 has been nicknamed the “cicada” variant as it has largely remained undetected or “underground” — like its insect…
Respiratory syncytial virus season in the U.S. usually begins in October and fades by late March, but RSV activity seems to be holding strong in 2026. CDC data on respiratory virus activity shows that influenza and COVID-19 are dropping off…