Public Health Crisis - US measles infections reach 1,514 this year [1] - Outbreaks continue to spread [1] - Routine childhood vaccinations are falling [1]

Vaccine Policy Recommendations - CDC's vaccine advisors are voting to recommend that everyone should talk to a healthcare provider before getting the COVID vaccine [1] - Currently, all adults are recommended to get a COVID vaccine, and children should talk to a healthcare provider, but the new recommendation suggests everyone consults a healthcare provider first [1] - Pharmacists are considered healthcare providers under the CDC's current guidance, allowing individuals to get vaccinated at pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens [2] Potential Impact and Policy Positions - Changes to the recommendations could cause confusion and make people reconsider vaccination [3] - The CDC is considering recommending that states require prescriptions for COVID vaccines, but the CDC cannot regulate this practice [4]

Healthcare Policy Change - CDC advisers vote that patients must consult a health care provider for Covid-19 vaccination [1] - This shifts away from broadly recommending the vaccine [1]

Vaccination Policy Change - CDC advisers vote that patients must consult a health care provider for Covid-19 vaccination [1] - This shifts away from broadly recommending the vaccine [1]

Vaccine Recommendation - ACIP tabled the vote on changing the hepatitis B vaccination recommendation for newborns indefinitely [1][2] - Current recommendation is for newborns to receive the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they are born [1] - Proposed change considered moving the vaccination to one month after birth if the mother tests negative for hepatitis B [1] - Concern existed regarding the basis for the one-month recommendation [2] Decision-Making Process - Director O'Neal has the final say on recommendations [2] - Director needs a vote to sign off on a new recommendation [3] - Unlikely the director will issue a new recommendation without a vote [3] Other Vaccines - MMRV recommendation is expected to go through [3]

Vaccine Recommendation Changes - The CDC's vaccine panel (ACIP) is scheduled to vote on key immunizations, potentially leading to significant changes in vaccine recommendations [1] - HHS Secretary Kennedy appointed new members to the ACIP, leading to controversy and debate regarding the committee's independence [2] - ACIP Chair emphasized the importance of open scientific debate, referencing a boycott by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) [2] MMRV Vaccine - ACIP will vote on whether to recommend against the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine for infants and toddlers [3] - The CDC currently recommends separate MMR and varicella shots for young children due to a higher risk of febrile seizures with the combined vaccine [4] Hepatitis B Vaccine - The committee will vote on changes to the hepatitis B vaccination schedule for newborns [4] - Proposals include testing all pregnant women for hepatitis B infection and potentially delaying vaccination until one month of age for babies of mothers who test negative, while maintaining the option for earlier vaccination with doctor's permission [5]

Public Health Concerns & Leadership - Distrust in leaders and misinformation in public health can cost lives [5][6] - Calls for RFK Jr's resignation due to uplifting disinformation and being a dangerous person at the helm of an agency focused on cures and breakthroughs [6][7] - Concerns about Secretary Kennedy's leadership of the nation's top health agency [8] - RFK Jr is accused of mass layoffs, funding freezes, and vaccine guidance inconsistent with science [11] Vaccine Oversight & Scientific Integrity - Former CDC director was allegedly required to pre-confirm/authorize vaccine recommendations site unseen [9] - Allegations of firing top CDC leaders (scientists/experts) who had different advice based on science [9] - Concerns about RFK Jr's vaccine oversight committee being loaded with people sharing conspiracy views about vaccination [9][10] Real-World Consequences - Measles outbreak in Wisconsin with 36 people affected, including two hospitalizations, all unvaccinated [12] - 1,800 school children displaced in Milwaukee due to lead paint, and CDC childhood lead poisoning experts were unavailable due to firings [13]

Vaccination Policy & Exemption Trends - West Virginia's governor issued an executive order to change the state's vaccine exemptions, introducing religious and conscientious exemptions [3] - Previously, West Virginia only allowed medical exemptions and had a high vaccination rate of 98% among kindergarteners in 2023 [4] - Following the governor's announcement, at least 463 non-medical exemptions were issued for the 2025-26 school year [4] - A nationwide trend shows 53% of US counties more than doubled exemption rates, and 77% have seen a decline in vaccination rates since 2019 [5] Legal & Regulatory Landscape - The executive order conflicts with the state code, leading to court battles to determine applicable rules for parents, teachers, and school boards [8] - Lawmakers rejected a bill to put non-medical exemptions into state law, but the governor is backed by the Trump administration [7] - The Department of Health and Human Services requires the state to recognize religious exemptions to receive funding for a childhood vaccine program [7] - Two competing lawsuits are in court, later consolidated, challenging the executive order and seeking to allow non-medical exemptions [7][8][9] Exemption Process & School Board Stance - Obtaining a religious exemption in West Virginia is a simple email process, while medical exemptions require a rigorous two-page form reviewed by a physician and state immunization officer [11][12] - The West Virginia Board of Education is currently not accepting the exemptions because the governor's executive order did not change state law [13] Impact on Children & Education - Children with conditions like Fox G1 syndrome, such as Maxwell, are more vulnerable to illnesses, making vaccination rates a concern [2] - Homeschooling is a safer but isolating option, while public education is considered a constitutional right critical for a child's development [10]

in St. Louis. I know that kids are required to be vaccinated when going to public schools, but it seems as if in your reporting and what NBC has found out is in fact some of these schools are turning kind of a blind eye to this because they don't want to lose federal funding.>> There are a couple of things going on there. The school district answered some of our questions over email, but they did not sit down for an interview with us. But our team made contact with the head nurse and had a conversation with ...

Do you want to get a COVID booster this year. You want to get a COVID vaccine. Have you thought about how you might be able to get it.Do you know. Do you know anybody who's tried. The Washington State Health Department's chief science officer signed a standing order for the COVID vaccine, which should allow most residents of Washington State to be able to go directly to a pharmacy or a clinic to get a COVID vaccine without an individual prescription.They're trying to rationalize this in Washington state to ...