Viruses & Vaccinations

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💉 Vaccine wrecking ball

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

America's vaccine policy has been set for decades, with patients, providers, scientists and insurers more or less in sync on the merits of immunizations. In the last few weeks, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has upended long-standing norms, introducing uncertainty into a once-reliable system, Axios' Erica Pandey writes. Why it matters: Access to health care may shift in unpredictable ways. At worst, infectious diseases once thought to be eradicated could return. ⚡ Catch up quick: Kennedy sent shockwaves through the medical community two weeks ago by stopping recommendations of the COVID vaccine to healthy kids and healthy pregnant women. Confusion escalated this week, when Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of the expert panel that wields a great deal of power in shaping vaccine policy and makes recommendations to the CDC. Zoom out: Some panel members Kennedy has picked thus far are more aligned with his skeptical view of vaccines. They could radically reshape — or even scrap — national vaccine recommendations, including those for kids. They could also require more testing of new vaccines for safety and efficacy, which could have upstream effects — discouraging academic labs and drug companies from pursuing vaccine research and development. The other side: Kennedy has said replacing the members of the expert panel is a "major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines." He's also said the decision to stop recommending COVID vaccines to kids is common sense because they're less likely to get very sick from COVID than adults. 🔭 What to watch: Big changes in America's vaccine policy come amid a major cultural shift. Vaccine skepticism is on the rise, and more kindergartners are showing up to school with exemptions.

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Vaccines

A document the Department of Health and Human Services sent to members of Congress to support Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to change US policy on Covid vaccines cited scientific studies that were unpublished or under dispute and mischaracterized others, KFF Health News reported. Kennedy announced last month that the CDC would no longer recommend Covid vaccines for pregnant women or healthy children. The move was decried by many major medical groups and questioned by some lawmakers. One health expert called the document “willful medical disinformation.” “It is so far out of left field that I find it insulting to our members of Congress that they would actually give them something like this,” said Mark Turrentine, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. “Congress members are relying on these agencies to provide them with valid information, and it’s just not there.”

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What to know about the COVID variant causing 'razor blade' sore throats

A new COVID-19 variant may be causing “razor blade” sore throats in people who get it. The Nimbus variant is driving a rise in COVID cases globally and in some U.S. states. Read More.

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More Adults Can Now Get Moderna's RSV Shot

June 17, 2025 – The FDA has expanded the use of Moderna's respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) shot to all adults, with some limits on who can get it.

https://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/news/20250617/more-adults-can-now-get-moderna-rsv-shot?

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Measles

The US has hit a troubling milestone: There have been more measles cases this year than in any other since the disease was declared eliminated a quarter-century ago. And experts say this year’s cases are likely to be severely undercounted because many go unreported. According to data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Outbreak Response Innovation, there have been at least 1,277 confirmed cases of measles in 2025 so far. Two children and one adult have died, matching the total number of US measles deaths from the previous 25 years. At least 155 people have been hospitalized with measles this year, CDC data shows, and 28% of cases have been in children younger than 5. The vast majority of this year’s cases have been in people who were unvaccinated.

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Measles Cases Rise

US measles cases are at the highest level since 1992, before the disease was considered eliminated in 2000. The annual measles tally is 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and Washington, DC. At least 155 people have been hospitalized, and three deaths have been confirmed—two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico. See a map here.   Measles is among the world’s most contagious diseases. About 0.2% of measles cases result in death, mainly in children. In 10% of cases, patients experience ear infections that can lead to hearing loss. Measles vaccines are estimated to have saved roughly 94 million lives over the past 50 years. However, vaccination rates have dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic amid skepticism over safety (see graph).    Separately, six medical organizations sued the Department of Health and Human Services and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. yesterday over the decision to remove the COVID-19 vaccine from the list of recommended immunizations for healthy children and pregnant women.

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RSV Vaccine Age 50+: What a New CDC Update Means for You

July 3, 2025 – The CDC published a new recommendation this week calling for some adults ages 50 to 59 to get vaccinated for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Public health experts predict that if 20% of all newly eligible U.S. adults get vaccinated, it would prevent about 5,200 hospitalizations, 1,100 ICU stays, and 333 deaths annually. 

https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/news/20250703/rsv-vaccine-age-50-plus-what-new-cdc-update-means-for-you?

The US is having its worst year for measles in more than three decades

Measles cases in the U.S. are at their highest in three decades. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the U.S. has 1,288 cases since the beginning of the year. The country could lose its status of having eliminated the vaccine-preventable illness if the virus has nonstop spread for 12 months. Read More.

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Raising the risk

Measles cases are surging in the US, and the majority of the people affected are unvaccinated. With vaccination rates declining, CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen explains how that could lead to the return of other previously eliminated diseases.

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US childhood vaccination rates fall again as exemptions set another record

U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Thursday. It’s the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for nonmedical reasons. Read More.

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West Nile Virus and the proliferation of private ponds

Once again Montana is in the news for confirmed cases of West Nile Virus scattered across the state.  While no one seems to making the connection, one might credibly wonder how the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ approval of a new private pond every working day of the year plays into the proliferation of this disease.  And once again, no one is talking about that.

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/west-nile-virus-and-proliferation-private-ponds?

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Got the sniffles? Here's what to know about summer colds, COVID-19 and more

Summer heat, outdoor fun ... and cold and flu symptoms? The three may not go together in many people’s minds: partly owing to common myths about germs and partly because many viruses really do have lower activity levels in the summer. But it is possible to get the sniffles — or worse — in the summer. Read More.

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Vaccine Research Redirected

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. canceled nearly $500M in funding for 22 projects aimed at advancing mRNA technology Tuesday. The money will be redirected to projects developing traditional, whole-cell vaccines. Watch Kennedy’s announcement here.   Vaccines have historically used weakened or inactive pathogens to trigger immunity (see more here). The more recent mRNA vaccines—including those developed in partnership with President Donald Trump’s Operation Warp Speed to combat COVID-19—teach the body to produce a virus fragment. That fragment prompts an immune response and preps the body to defend against a real infection. mRNA vaccines are quicker than traditional vaccines to develop and update, requiring only the genetic code for a virus piece as opposed to cultivating large quantities of virus. Among criticisms of the technology, Kennedy said the mRNA vaccines cause a process called “antigenic shift,” encouraging vaccine mutation. See scientists’ rebuttals here.   The news comes after HHS halted a nearly $600M contract to develop an mRNA-based vaccine targeting bird flu. The virus has infected 70 people in the US since 2024.

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How mRNA Technology Works

Written by Shishira Sreenivas

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on March 10, 2024

https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/ss/slideshow-mrna-technology?

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Household shots

For the first time, people in the US who want to protect themselves against this respiratory virus season can self-administer their flu vaccines at home. Experts are hopeful this could improve vaccination rates at a critical time.

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Covid-19

With Covid-19 levels on the rise in the US, and transmission increasing in at least 45 states, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its updated recommendations for vaccines on Tuesday, including Covid-19 shots. The AAP's guidance is a break from the current CDC recommendations and defies HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced in May that the CDC would no longer recommend Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children or pregnant women. The AAP, on the other hand, recommends that all children, ages 6 months through 23 months, should receive a Covid-19 vaccine unless they have allergies to the vaccine or its ingredients. It also recommends a single dose of the vaccine for children ages 2 through 18 years if they are at high risk of Covid-19, residents of long-term care facilities, have never been vaccinated against Covid-19 or live in a household with people who are high risk for Covid-19.

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Why getting a COVID-19 vaccine is likely to be more complicated this year

Will you get a COVID-19 vaccine? That has become a complicated question for many people.

https://apnews.com/article/covid-19-vaccine-insurance-coverage-pharmacists-16b166a86548b37849eff2debc6e6100?

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Florida to end all vaccine mandates, surgeon general says

In a radical departure from decades of public health practices, state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced that Florida will work to end all vaccine mandates.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/09/03/florida-to-end-all-vaccine-mandates-surgeon-general-says/?

Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida plans to become the first state to eliminate vaccine mandates, a longtime cornerstone of public health policy for keeping schoolchildren and adults safe from infectious diseases.

https://apnews.com/article/florida-childhood-vaccines-mandate-eliminate-desantis-363323dcdd3811ca9ad7def5f9a30fb2?

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Massachusetts becomes first state to impose its own vaccine coverage rules

Massachusetts will require health insurers operating in the state to cover vaccines recommended by the state's department of public health, Democratic Gov. Maura Healey announced Thursday.

https://www.axios.com/2025/09/04/massachusetts-vaccine-coverage-rules?

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Skip the Confusion: A Guide to Fall Vaccines

Aug. 29, 2025 – A COVID-19 wave is underway, flu shot ads are reappearing at pharmacies and doctors' offices, and fall vaccine season is here – along with fresh confusion.

https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/news/20250828/skip-the-confusion-a-guide-to-fall-vaccines?

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For some, a COVID-19 vaccine means jumping through hoops or hitting the road

The debut of updated COVID-19 vaccines has gotten off to a clunky start in many states. Limits on who can get the shots and prescription requirements are confusing customers and leaving some people worried about whether they will get protection from the virus this fall. Read more.

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10 Questions ‘Healthy Adults’ Should Ask About the COVID Shot

Sept. 10, 2025 – Everyone's talking about COVID-19 vaccines – and how difficult getting one may be if you're a healthy adult under 65. 

https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20250910/10-questions-healthy-adults-should-ask-about-the-covid-shot?

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Where vaccine mistrust runs deepest

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

About 1 in 6 parents have skipped or delayed recommended vaccines for their kids, a new Washington-Post/KFF poll finds (gift link). That doesn't include immunizations for COVID or the flu. Uptake for those seasonal shots is low across the board. The parents most likely to skip vaccines are those who homeschool their kids (45%), white parents who identify as "very religious" (36%) and Republicans (22%). Younger parents are also more hesitant about vaccines, the poll found. 💉 What they're saying: Parents are skipping vaccines largely because they don't believe the shots are safe — not because they've had a hard time accessing vaccines. Among those who chose not to get their kids a recommended vaccine, majorities said they were concerned about side effects or didn't believe the shots were safe or necessary. 54% of Republican parents said they trust RFK Jr. to provide accurate information about vaccines, compared to just 36% of parents overall. 💡 Reality check: Most vaccines' side effects are minor — temporary soreness at the injection site, for example, or a low-grade fever. Explore the data

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💉 Scoop: Vaccines split GOP ahead of 2026

New polling suggests Republican voters are three times more likely than Democrats to support Florida's move to end vaccine requirements, according to findings first shared with us.

Why it matters: "MAHA" supporters have proved to be a powerful new GOP voting bloc. But some Republicans are distancing themselves, warning of party division and the political danger of embracing the vaccine hesitancy of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

• "I disagree with what the surgeon general in Florida is trying to do," Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who was an orthopedic surgeon, told us.
• "Vaccines are good. They help children."

Zoom in: Exactly half (50%) of Republican respondents said they at least "somewhat" supported the Florida move, according to polling this month for the Senate GOP conference first obtained by us.

• The same was true for 32% of independents and just 17% of Democrats.
• At the same time, 60% of Republicans agreed with the statement: "The benefits of childhood vaccines far outweigh any risks, and they are essential for protecting children and communities from serious diseases."

— Stef Kight

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💉 Vaccine turning point

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios; Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push to reshape vaccine policy will hit a crescendo today when his handpicked advisory panel is expected to consider limiting the availability of MMR, hepatitis B and COVID-19 shots, Axios Vitals author Tina Reed writes. Why it matters: The panel traditionally operates on scientific consensus and makes recommendations to the director of the CDC. But Kennedy's summertime purge of the committee — and the lack of a full-time political leader at the agency — has many in the scientific and health community convinced that the new appointees will rubber-stamp more limits on who can get routine shots. On the eve of the meeting, the Democratic governors of Oregon, Washington, California and Hawai'i, along with Massachusetts, released a set of immunization guidelines for their own states that, among other things, appear to eliminate the need for a prescription to get a COVID booster. Keep reading ... Go deeper: Ex-CDC chief details agency turmoil under RFK Jr.

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💉 RFK's panel votes to limit MMRV vaccines

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s handpicked vaccine advisers approved limiting the availability of a combined shot for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella — the virus that causes chicken pox, Axios Vitals author Tina Reed writes. The 12-member panel also appeared poised to do away with the recommendation that all newborns receive the Hepatitis B vaccine, but delayed a vote until today. Why it matters: The deliberations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices marked the most significant moves yet to carry out Kennedy's goal of revising childhood immunizations and immediately drew harsh criticism from public health officials. The recommendations still must be approved by the CDC, an agency under Kennedy that currently does not have a full-time political leader. Keep reading.