Latest news with #vaccination
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
CDC tells Americans to CANCEL their flights after finding world's most infectious disease is spreading on planes
The CDC is urging Americans to cancel their upcoming flights if they are not vaccinated against measles. The agency has upgraded its health travel warning after discovering the virus - one of the most infectious in the world - is spreading on US airplanes. A previous recommendation that said Americans should 'consider making alternative travel plans' if they could not get vaccinated before departing now says travelers should 'consider postponing their trip.' Estimates suggest around 10 percent of adults may lack immunity, either due to never receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or because their immunity has diminished over time — the equivalent of 25million adults. Measles infections have been detected at the country's biggest airports in recent months amid a resurgence of the virus linked to low vaccination rates. Now, after investigating dozens of patients who were contagious while flying, the CDC confirmed at least one case where the virus was spread during air travel. All US travelers are now being recommended to be fully vaccinated for measles before going on any international flights. And doctors are being advised to give additional measles vaccines to domestic travelers going to Texas, where over 700 people have been infected so far this year. The CDC's latest update, published Wednesday, reads: 'Travelers can catch measles in many travel settings including travel hubs like airports and train stations, on public transportation like airplanes and trains, at tourist attractions, and at large, crowded events.' Since the beginning of this year, the CDC has received 62 reports of travelers infected with measles while flying into the US or within the country, a CDC spokesperson told CBS News. An investigation of 50 of those passengers showed the agency measles spread during air travel in at least one of those situations. The CDC said this is usually based on confirmed infectious individuals sitting next to each other. The latest airport warning came Friday as three passengers flying into Denver International Airport on the same Turkish Airlines flight tested positive for measles. One of them was a vaccinated adult. As of 2025, precise data on the number of US adults unvaccinated against measles is limited. However, historical estimates suggest that approximately 10 percent of adults may lack immunity, either due to never receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or because their immunity has diminished over time. Given the US adult population of about 258 million, this could translate to roughly 25 million adults who are potentially unprotected against measles. Around 90 percent of confirmed cases are tied to outbreaks in the US rather than travel outside the country. Symptoms - which include a blotchy rash, fever, cough and runny nose - typically develop seven to 21 days after initial exposure. Measles spreads via airborne droplets released in coughs and sneezes, which can hang in the air for up to two hours after a patient passes. It is particularly dangerous to young children, with the CDC saying one in 20 unvaccinated children who are infected develop pneumonia while one in 1,000 suffer deadly brain swelling. A total of 1,088 Americans have been infected so far this year, and two unvaccinated young girls have died.
CBS News
5 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
CDC now says kids "may receive" COVID-19 vaccines, should talk to their doctors
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says that kids with no underlying health conditions "may receive" COVID-19 vaccines, dropping a broad recommendation for all children to get vaccinated against the virus. Updates to the CDC's childhood immunization schedule were published late Thursday, following an announcement earlier this week by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that the agency would stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and healthy pregnant women. "Where the parent presents with a desire for their child to be vaccinated, children 6 months and older may receive COVID-19 vaccination, informed by the clinical judgment of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances," the CDC says in its new guidance. Thursday's change to what the CDC calls "shared clinical decision-making" recommendations for children means that health insurance companies will continue to be required to broadly cover the shots for now in this age group. The agency still broadly recommends COVID-19 vaccines for moderately or severely immunocompromised children, in addition to most adults for now. COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy are now listed as "No Guidance/Not Applicable," where they were previously recommended for all pregnant adults. While Kennedy said in his video announcement that healthy pregnant women were also being removed from the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for COVID-19 vaccines, several pages of agency guidance saying that pregnant women are recommended to get vaccinated because of their higher risk of severe disease remain on the CDC's website as of Friday. "Studies including hundreds of thousands of people around the world show that COVID-19 vaccination before and during pregnancy is safe, effective, and beneficial to both the pregnant woman and the baby. The benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy," one CDC webpage still reads. Health authorities and experts closely watch changes to the CDC's recommendations, usually updated through open meetings of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, since they are tied to policies like liability protections and insurance coverage requirements. The CDC also deleted a statement previously on the childhood immunization schedule that the guidance had been recommended by the committee, approved by the CDC and backed by a number of outside medical groups. So far, the CDC's changes echo what the committee had already been considering voting on next month: narrowing COVID-19 vaccine recommendations to only older adults and younger ages with risk factors, but still allowing for permissive coverage of others getting vaccinated. The CDC has used "shared clinical decision-making" guidance in the past to allow for federal requirements guaranteeing insurance coverage and access to some vaccines, while stopping short of full-throated recommendations for everyone eligible to get a shot. At its last meeting in April, the committee had not signaled that they were planning to lift the recommendation for pregnant women to get vaccinated. Instead, pregnancy was listed during the meeting as among the underlying conditions that might warrant a continued recommendation for vaccination. RFK Jr.'s directive to CDC Multiple CDC officials said the change came after the agency received a directive signed by Kennedy, shortly after he posted his announcement to social media. Kennedy's memo cited "a review of the recommendations" of the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, saying that the risks of the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children "do not outweigh the purported benefits of the vaccine." The directive also cited "the lack of high-quality data demonstrating safety of the mRNA vaccines during pregnancy combined with the uncertainty of the benefits" for pregnant moms and their baby. "Truly the death of expertise. This would be like the secretary of transportation directing that all planes must fly 5,000 feet higher than current. It's vibe-based decision making," one federal health official said of the directive. Agency officials overseeing immunization recommendations said they were surprised by Kennedy's move. The Washington Post previously reported news of the directive. "As you might be aware, the HHS Secretary issued a directive to CDC to update COVID-19 vaccine recommendations on the child and adult immunization schedules. In accordance with that instruction, CDC last night posted updated versions," agency officials wrote in an email to staff Friday. contributed to this report.
CBS News
8 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
As Colorado measles cases grow, doctors share who does, and doesn't, need boosters
As measles cases in Colorado continue to rise, doctors are sharing how to know if you need a booster or not. Another measles case was reported in Colorado on Thursday, it is the 7th confirmed case of measles in the state. Officials said this case is related to two others we reported this week. The three people were on the same flight into Denver International Airport earlier this month. The Colorado State Health Department confirmed the most recent case was a vaccinated adult who was a passenger on a Turkish Airlines flight that flew to Denver on May 13. A new Turkish Airlines Airbus A350-900 aircraft Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images An out-of-state traveler and a 5-year-old child from Arapahoe County are the other two people on that flight who have been confirmed with the disease. That child was unvaccinated and is currently being treated at Children's Hospital Colorado. This third person, also an Arapahoe County resident, was in several public spaces in Denver, Aurora, Greenwood Village, and Evergreen while infectious between May 22 and 26. Seven cases may not seem like a big surge, but in 2024, there were zero cases in the state. After the measles vaccine was introduced, the disease was considered almost eradicated. With a recent surge in cases, it's leading to many questions about who may need a booster. Doctors said, unless you are unvaccinated, don't stress out too much. Boxes and vials of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella Virus vaccine Jan Sonnenmair / Getty Images People born before 1957 are considered immune because the disease was so prevalent that they are presumed to have been exposed. In 1963, the vaccine was introduced, and anyone who got it should have some level of immunity. If you have had two doses of the live vaccine, doctors said you should be ok. And if it's been a while since you've had a vaccine? Well, doctors said that's ok too. "Those people who have had 2 doses of that vaccine virus, that is almost completely enough to prevent against measles for the rest of your life," said Dr. Dan Pastula, Head of Neuro Infectious Diseases at UCHealth. If you are concerned or you are at a high risk for exposure, you should talk to your healthcare provider. "You can get tested to see if you have immunity. And if you don't, then you could get a booster. But for the average person, no, we don't need to have a booster shot," said Dr. Bob Belknap, the Director of the Public Health Institute at Denver Health. Tests for measles immunity measure IgG antibody levels and can be done by a primary care physician and CVS MinuteClinics. Doctors said if you've never had measles, you don't want it. "Symptoms for measles usually start out with a pretty high fever, along with cough, runny nose, red, itchy, watery eyes. And then the rash comes, and the rash typically starts on the face or near the hairline and then spreads down the body. It's uncomfortable. It's itchy. It can be painful. And in, in the worst case, it can lead to pneumonias, problems in the lungs or even swelling around the brain," said Belknap. Both doctors agree immunity is the only way to avoid measles, which you can get one of two ways. Surviving measles or a vaccine, and the vaccine is the least troublesome way to gain immunity. "For anyone who is unvaccinated, it's not worth taking that risk. It's better off to just get the vaccine," said Belknap. There has been a rumor going around that vitamin A is effective at preventing measles and treating it. Doctors said that's not true, and you can give yourself liver damage if you take too much.
CNET
8 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
The CDC Opposes RFK Jr.'s COVID Vaccine Guidance, Saying Children 'May Receive' Their Shots
On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the CDC will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant people and healthy children. A mere two days later, the CDC seemingly contradicted that advice with its newly updated Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule with what it calls "shared clinical decision-making" for children aged 6 months to 17 years who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised. "Shared clinical decision-making vaccinations are individually based and informed by a decision process between the health care provider and the patient or parent/guardian," states the CDC. "Where the parent presents with a desire for their child to be vaccinated, children 6 months and older may receive COVID-19 vaccination, informed by the clinical judgment of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances." This means that health insurance providers will still be required to cover the COVID-19 vaccinations for kids in this age group. According to the New York Times, this also means the shots will continue to be available to the 38 million low-income children under the Vaccines for Children program. But what about pregnant people? According to the NYT, the CDC's official position is "no guidance." This contradicts a still-live CDC web page updated Sept. 10, 2024, stating that pregnant people are at increased risk for COVID-19 and resulting complications such as preterm birth or stillbirth. That same web page also states that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe and effective and that these vaccines are not associated with fertility problems in women or men. What RFK Jr. had to say In a shift to federal public health guidance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on May 27 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer encourage COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant people and healthy children. The pivot, shared by Kennedy in a 58-second video posted to X, formerly Twitter, marks a significant departure from the CDC's stance just two weeks ago, when it reiterated the importance of high-risk groups, which included expecting parents. "I couldn't be more pleased to announce that as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule," Kennedy said, flanked by Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. The trio framed the decision as a return to evidence-based policymaking. Makary said "no evidence" supports healthy children benefit from routine COVID vaccination, while Bhattacharya called the update "common sense and good science." The update comes just after a similar policy announcement from the Trump administration, which last week stated it would no longer recommend annual COVID shots for younger adults and children. Instead, older adults (65 and up), and anyone over six months with underlying conditions like diabetes, obesity, chronic respiratory diseases or cancer will be prioritized in vaccination efforts. Meanwhile, pregnant people appear to have been reclassified under RFK Jr.'s guidance and are no longer encouraged to get COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet on June 25 to finalize COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for this fall. What does this new COVID-19 vaccine guidance mean for families? The new CDC versus RFK Jr. guidance may leave parents or pregnant people wondering how to move forward. While the change reflects a broader approach based on individual risk assessment, it also places more responsibility on families to navigate complex medical decisions without the same level of clear federal direction. The new CDC guidelines state that children 6 months and older may receive the COVID-19 vaccination as long as a healthcare provider and parent agree. The guidance is more unclear for pregnant people. This change reopens the debate about whether vaccination during pregnancy remains a protective measure or an unnecessary risk. What should you do now? Here are a few tips for navigating the latest vaccine guidance changes and making the most informed decisions for yourself and your family. Talk to your doctor Any medical decisions, especially during pregnancy and for young children, should be consulted with your primary care provider or OB-GYN. They can help you determine individual needs and risks. Assess your risk factors The COVID-19 vaccination guidelines state that it is "especially important to get your 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine if you're ages 65 and older, are at high risk for severe COVID-19 or have never received a COVID-19 vaccine." The same goes for children and adults who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, but guidelines vary based on age and vaccination history. You may also want to check COVID levels in your area to further assess your risk. Stay informed As federal health guidance evolves, it's important to monitor updates from reputable and trusted medical sources, including your state health department and professional medical associations.
Medscape
10 hours ago
- Business
- Medscape
CDC Drops Guidance for COVID Vaccines for Pregnancy
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just updated its child and adolescent immunization schedule in a way that states that parents who want to vaccinate healthy children could do so, based on shared decision making with a clinician. The agency also updated the adult immunization schedule to say there is 'no guidance' on use in pregnancy. The update for children and adolescents seems to contradict the May 27 announcement on COVID vaccines by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. In a 58-sec video posted to X, Kennedy said the COVID vaccine was 'being removed from the CDC-recommended immunization schedule' for healthy pregnant women and also for healthy children. US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, said on the video that 'there's no evidence healthy kids need it today,' while National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, called the move 'good science.' As of press time, HHS had not issued a formal proposal or written policy to further detail the announcement, but the CDC had change its online immunization schedules. The see-sawing of the policy announcements — without any public meetings or input — have left clinicians perplexed and fearful about availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy pregnant women and healthy children in advance of what is typically a surge of infections during the summer and fall months in the US. Linda Eckert, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington in Seattle, said she was 'horrified' when she heard the announcement. 'I was just like, why did this happen?' she told Medscape Medical News . COVID during pregnancy 'is dangerous to my patients, and when my patients don't do well, their pregnancies don't do well,' Eckert said. The virus is also very dangerous to infants during the first 6 months of life, 'and maternal antibody transfer is the way that those infants are protected,' said Eckert, a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) immunization committee. The announcement prompts questions, but not many answers, she said. 'What are we going to do with our patients? How are we going to have these conversations now?' said Eckert. 'We're all trying to read the tea leaves as to what [Kennedy] really means,' said Paul Offit, MD, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Leaving clinicians, insurers, and patients to guess is 'a wholly irresponsible way to do business,' Offit told Medscape . Offit said that Kennedy has made no secret of his intent to focus on chronic disease while reducing resources for infectious disease. The Secretary 'has for 20 years been an anti-vaccine activist and science denialist,' said Offit. 'He's basically doing what he can to tear down the vaccine infrastructure in this country,' he said. Alarms Sounded Many professional organizations expressed alarm at Kennedy's announcement. The HHS Secretary bypassed the traditional process for vaccine recommendations, which includes discussion of evidence for safety and effectiveness at open public meetings held by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP then makes a recommendation, which the CDC director approves or disapproves. 'It is concerning that such a significant policy change was made unilaterally outside an open, evidence-based process with no regard for the negative impact this will have on millions of Americans,' said Tina Tan, MD, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, in a statement. 'By removing the recommendation, the decision could strip families of choice,' said Sean O'Leary, MD, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Infectious Diseases, in a statement. 'Those who want to vaccinate may no longer be able to, as the implications for insurance coverage remain unclear,' he said. 'It's also unclear whether healthcare workers would be eligible to be vaccinated.' O'Leary said that the evidence shows that pregnant women, infants, and young children are at higher risk of hospitalization from COVID and that the vaccine's safety 'has been widely demonstrated.' 'Despite the change in recommendations from HHS, the science has not changed,' said ACOG President Steven J. Fleischman, MD, in a statement. Most infants under the age of 6 months who are hospitalized for COVID are born to unvaccinated mothers, said Fleschman. Kennedy's announcement may mean pregnant people are less likely to choose to vaccinate, he said. 'We are very concerned about the potential deterioration of vaccine confidence in the future,' said Fleischman. Jason M. Goldman, MD, president of the American College of Physicians, agreed. 'The HHS announcement will likely further erode public confidence in the safety of these vaccines, despite the evidence demonstrating their benefits,' he said, in a statement. Goldman also said the policy change has 'the potential to threaten insurance coverage for COVID vaccines and boosters, increasing the cost and placing them out-of-reach of individuals who do still want to be vaccinated.' Who Will Get the COVID Vaccine? Uptake of the vaccine has been waning, even with insurance coverage. According to CDC's COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, 14% of pregnant women had received the 2024-25 vaccine. As of late March, just under 13% of children 6 months-to-17 years had received the vaccine, the CDC reported at the ACIP's last meeting in April. Children under 6 months have the second highest COVID-related hospitalization rates, comparable to those of adults aged 64-75; only adults aged 75 or older have higher rates, the CDC has reported. A fifth of 1000 hospitalized infants with COVID-19 during a 2-year period were admitted to an intensive care unit; nine died while hospitalized. Vaccination of mothers has led to a decline in hospitalizations, however, said the agency. Even so, 96 children under age 4 and 56 aged 5-17 died from COVID from September 2023 to August 2024, said CDC officials at the last ACIP meeting. COVID's dangers during pregnancy have been documented in many studies. Researchers from George Washington University in Washington, DC, reported in a 2023 paper that pregnant women with COVID-19 experienced 7 times greater risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth, 3 times greater risk of being admitted to the ICU, 23 times greater risk of developing pneumonia, and 5 times greater risk of thromboembolic disease. Eckert said that, despite the dangers, fewer patients have been opting for vaccination over the last few years 'because people view COVID as less of a threat.' She still talks to patients about protection. The new recommendation is going to make it more difficult to help patients stay safe, she said. Meanwhile, as reported by Medscape , the FDA announced earlier in May that it would be calling for more studies of COVID vaccines in healthy Americans and that it would recommend against approval except for individuals with a long list of conditions that put them at risk for more severe disease. One of those conditions is pregnancy or recent pregnancy. The COVID vaccine announcements are 'at the least, confusing for patients,' Eckert said. Will Policy Be Challenged? It is not clear whether anyone can or will challenge the HHS policy announcement. Normally, not even a CDC director would circumvent the ACIP's process, said Dorit Reiss, professor of law at UC Law San Francisco. Currently, there is no acting CDC director, she said, adding that it appears that Kennedy has stepped into the role, as he reportedly approved an ACIP recommendation on a chikungunya vaccine. While Kennedy is not violating a statute or regulation with his COVID vaccine announcement, a court could find that the decision is 'arbitrary and capricious' because it was offered without evidence or a rationale, said Reiss. 'These decisions are generally written out with references and a lot of data. They didn't do that,' Reiss told Medscape . Eventually, someone might legally challenge the policy, but it could take a while, said Reiss. The policy 'will have to hurt someone' for someone to make a case, she said. Reiss and Offit pointed out that vaccines could be prescribed off-label for groups that are not covered by any of the HHS recommendations. 'Probably 70% of the drugs on our formulary are not necessarily approved for pediatrics,' said Offit. But off-label use comes with its own set of headaches, he said. Clinicians might have to seek prior authorization from insurers, for instance. When asked whether the administration might just remove approvals altogether for COVID vaccines, Offit responded that with Kennedy in charge, 'anything is possible.' Offit reports no relevant financial relationships. Eckert disclosed that she is the author of 'Enough,' a book that calls for greater cervical cancer screening.
