Category: Vaccines
As Florida plans to end all vaccine mandates, Western states form vaccine alliance
The contrasting moves come amid turmoil at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where several top leaders resigned last week to protest efforts by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, to dismiss CDC Director Susan Monarez for pushing back against Kennedy’s vaccine policies.
At CDC, Worries Mount That Agency Has Taken Anti-Science Turn
HHS Director Robert F. Kennedy, Jrs’ move to put his stamp on the CDC means states that have long relied on the agency’s expertise and help in crises such as disease outbreaks will largely be left to fend for themselves
Washington, California and Oregon to offer independent immunization recommendations
In response to recent federal actions that have undermined the independence of the CDC and raised concerns about the politicization of science, Washington, California and Oregon Washington are beginning the process to provide evidence-based unified recommendations to their residents regarding who should receive immunizations and to help ensure the public has access and credible information for confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy.
As Measles Exploded, Officials in Texas Looked to CDC Scientists. Under Trump, No One Answered.
“CDC hasn’t reached out to us locally,” Katherine Wells, the public health director in Lubbock, Texas, wrote in a Feb. 5 email exchange with a colleague two weeks after children with measles were hospitalized in Lubbock. “My staff feels like we are out here all alone,” she added.
Pediatricians’ association recommends COVID-19 vaccines for toddlers and some older children, breaking with CDC guidance
For 30 years, vaccine recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have aligned closely with those from the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP. But on Aug. 19, 2025, the AAP published new vaccine recommendations that diverge from those of the CDC.
The pediatrician association’s move comes on the heels of unprecedented changes made earlier this year by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, in how the government approves and issues guidance on vaccines.
Despite federal shift, state health officials encourage COVID vaccines for pregnant women
Experts say the federal shift puts the onus on state health agencies to ramp up vaccine guidance and outreach. Clinicians and public health organizations are trying to dispel misinformation and make sure information reaches low-income people and people of color, who had higher maternal death rates during the pandemic.
RFK Jr’s Vaccine Policies Could Undermine Coverage — and Trust
In June, the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ousted all 17 members of a panel that makes vaccine recommendations to the U.S. government.
Many vaccine experts were dismayed.
Back-to-School Reminder: Keep Washington Kids Healthy with Required Immunizations
Children entering school, child care, or other early learning programs must receive certain vaccinations before they can start. These immunization requirements apply to all enrolled children, including those learning remotely.
Covering health misinformation: What journalists need to rethink
Debunking health misinformation isn’t just about correcting false claims. It’s about building trust, choosing words with care, and meeting people where they are, without compromising the facts
WA doctor among those fired in RFK Jr.’s purge of vaccine panel
Dr. Helen Chu gained attention early in the COVID-19 pandemic as her repurposed flu research project identified the first case of coronavirus spreading person-to-person in the United States.
RFK Jr’s shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations
Public health experts decried the Kennedy’s action, pointing to his promise not to change the committee and warning that the move politicizes its work and undermines its scientific integrity.
Washington sees 25-fold increase in whooping cough cases in 2024 compared to previous year
Washington state experienced a dramatic surge in whooping cough cases in 2024, with 2,261 confirmed and probable cases reported – a staggering 25-fold increase from 87 cases recorded in 2023.
Measles cases are in 34 states with North Dakota now the focus
As super-contagious measles continues to spread and nears a six-year U.S. record, cases in its original epicenter of West Texas may be subsiding as hesitant residents become more concerned and willing to vaccinate, while North Dakota is a new focus with the highest rate of any state.
FDA will approve COVID-19 vaccine only for older adults and high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules
Although the FDA states that its new policy aims to promote greater transparency and evidenced-based decision-making, the change is controversial – in part because it circumvents the usual process for evaluating vaccine recommendations.