AP Special Report Spotlight IMMUNIZATIONS What to know about new vaccine guidance and why doctors are worried LAURAN NEERGAARD Associated Press Jan 11, 2026 Jan 11, 2026 Updated Feb 12, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save A certified medical assistant holds a syringe for a flu vaccine at a clinic Sept. 10 in Seattle. Lindsey Wasson, Associated Press kAm&]$] 962=E9 @77:4:2=D 92G6 >256 3C@25 492?86D E@ 49:=59@@5 G244:?6 C64@>>6?52E:@?D[ 2=2C>:?8 A65:2EC:4:2?D 2?5 @E96C >65:42= 6IA6CED H9@ D2J E96J H:== D@H 4@?7FD:@? 2?5 F?56C>:?6 49:=5C6?VD 962=E9]k^AmkAm%96 @G6C92F= :D 67764E:G6 :>>65:2E6=J[ >62?:?8 E92E E96 &]$] r6?E6CD 7@C s:D62D6 r@?EC@= 2?5 !C6G6?E:@? H:== ?@H C64@>>6?5 E92E 2== 49:=5C6? 86E G244:?2E65 282:?DE `` 5:D62D6D[ 5@H? 7C@> `g 2 J62C 28@]k^AmkAm%96 492?86D 4@>6 2D &]$] G244:?2E:@? C2E6D 92G6 366? D=:AA:?8 2?5 E96 D92C6 @7 49:=5C6? 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H92EVD 42==65 QD92C65 564:D:@?\>2<:?8Qik^AmkF=mk=:mu=Fk^=:mk=:mw6A2E:E:D pk^=:mk=:mw6A2E:E:D qk^=:mk=:m|6?:?8@4@442= 5:D62D6k^=:mk=:m#@E2G:CFDk^=:mk=:m#$'k^=:mk=:mr~'xs\`h[ 2 492?86 >256 :? a_adk^=:mk^F=m Government-politics US drops the number of vaccines it recommends for every child The Associated Press k9amw@H 7656C2= C64@>>6?52E:@?D DE2J65 E96 D2>6k^9am kAm%96 7@==@H:?8 G244:?6D H6C6 =67E @? E96 C64@>>6?565\7@C\2== =:DEik^AmkF=mk=:m|62D=6D[ >F>AD 2?5 CF36==2 W||#Xk^=:mk=:ms:A9E96C:2[ E6E2?FD 2?5 A6CEFDD:D @C H9@@A:?8 4@F89 Ws%2!Xk^=:mk=:m!@=:@k^=:mk=:mr9:4<6?A@Ik^=:mk=:mwF>2? A2A:==@>2G:CFD[ @C w!'] qFE :? 2 DFCAC:D6[ E96 8F:52?46 C65F46D E96 ?F>36C @7 C64@>>6?565 G244:?6 5@D6D 282:?DE w!' 7C@> EH@ @C E9C66 D9@ED E@ ;FDE @?6]k^=:mk=:mw:3[ @C w26>@A9:=FD :?7=F6?K26 EJA6 q[ 324E6C:2 E92E 56DA:E6 E96 ?2>6 :D?VE C6=2E65 E@ 7=Fk^=:mk=:m!r' @C A?6F>@4@442= 4@?;F82E6 G244:?6k^=:mk^F=m Wellness Flu is rising rapidly, driven by a new variant. Here's what to know LAURAN NEERGAARD Associated Press k9am(9J H6C6 E96 G244:?6 C64@>>6?52E:@?D 492?865nk^9amkAm%96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 w62=E9 2?5 wF>2? $6CG:46D D2:5 E96 @G6C92F= H2D :? C6DA@?D6 E@ 2 C6BF6DE 7C@> !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A :? s646>36C] %CF>A 2D<65 E96 286?4J E@ C6G:6H 9@H A66C ?2E:@?D 2AAC@249 G244:?6 C64@>>6?52E:@?D 2?5 4@?D:56C C6G:D:?8 &]$] 8F:52?46 244@C5:?8=J]k^Am kAmww$ D2:5 :ED 4@>A2C:D@? E@ a_ A66C ?2E:@?D 7@F?5 E92E E96 &]$] H2D 2? Q@FE=:6CQ :? 3@E9 E96 ?F>36C @7 G244:?2E:@?D 2?5 E96 ?F>36C @7 5@D6D :E C64@>>6?565 E@ 2== 49:=5C6?] ~77:4:2=D H:E9 E96 286?4J 7C2>65 E96 492?86 2D 2 H2J E@ :?4C62D6 AF3=:4 ECFDE 3J C64@>>6?5:?8 @?=J E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E G244:?2E:@?D 7@C 49:=5C6? 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E92E E96 &]$] H@F=5 ?@ =@?86C C64@>>6?5 E96 7=F G244:?6 7@C 49:=5C6?[ ;FDE 2D E96 7=F D62D@? :D 364@>:?8 D6G6C6 2?5 27E6C =2DE H:?E6CVD A2CE:4F=2C=J 92CD9 D62D@?]k^AmkAm%96 A65:2EC:4:2?DV 8C@FA 92D :DDF65 :ED @H? 49:=5 G244:?6 C64@>>6?52E:@?D] p=D@[ DE2E6D[ ?@E E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E[ 92G6 E96 2FE9@C:EJ E@ C6BF:C6 G244:?2E:@?D 7@C D49@@=49:=5C6?] (9:=6 rsr C6BF:C6>6?ED @7E6? :?7=F6?46 E9@D6 DE2E6 C68F=2E:@?D[ D@>6 DE2E6D 92G6 368F? 4C62E:?8 E96:C @H? 2==:2?46D E@ 4@F?E6C E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?VD 8F:52?46 @? G244:?6D]k^Am Government-politics In a tumultuous year, US health policy has been dramatically reshaped under RFK Jr. ALI SWENSON Associated Press k9am(92E H:== 492?86 7@C 72>:=:6Dnk^9am kAmxEVD ?@E J6E 4=62C] q642FD6 @7 E96 4@F?E6C:?8 C64@>>6?52E:@?D 7C@> A65:2EC:4:2?D[ 5@4E@C G:D:ED >2J ?@E 492?86] w@H6G6C[ >65:42= DA64:2=:DED D2J H96? E96 &]$] 8@G6C?>6?E 5@6D?VE 6IA=:4:E=J C64@>>6?5 2 D9@E[ :E H:== C2:D6 BF6DE:@?D 2>@?8 A2C6?ED[ =625:?8 E@ >@C6 5:77:4F=E 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 2E E96 5@4E@CVD @77:46]k^Am kAmx7 E96 492?86D >62? 76H6C 49:=5C6? 2C6 G244:?2E65[ @FE3C62<D E92E 92G6 9:DE@C:42==J 366? AC6G6?E65 3J 9:89 G244:?2E:@? C2E6D 4@F=5 DAC625 >@C6 H:56=J[ =625:?8 E@ >@C6 5:D62D6 2?5 >@C6 >:DD65 D49@@= 2?5 H@C<]k^Am k9am(:== :?DFC2?46 4@?E:?F6 E@ 4@G6C G244:?6Dnk^9amkAm%96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? D2:5 4@G6C286 H:== 4@?E:?F6 7@C 72>:=:6D E92E DE:== H2?E E96 D9@ED] w62=E9 :?DFC6CD 86?6C2==J 7:?5 G244:?2E:@? 2 8@@5 562=[ 2D D9@ED 2C6 4962A6C E92? 9@DA:E2=:K2E:@?D[ 2?5 >2?J 925 AC6G:@FD=J D2:5 E96JV5 A=2??65 E@ 4@G6C H92E H2D C64@>>6?565 =2DE J62C E9C@F89 a_ae]k^Am 0 comments Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story How to keep children safe from accidental medicine poisoning About 50,000 children under 5 go to ERs each year after swallowing medicine unintentionally. Fear in Minnesota's Somali community deepens, hampering progress on measles vaccination Health workers say progress on measles vaccination is slipping as Somali families avoid clinics amid immigration crackdowns and rising fear in… CDC studies show value of nationwide wastewater disease surveillance The Trump administration plans to slash funding for the surveillance system from about $125 million a year to about $25 million. 'Take the vaccine, please,' a top US health official says in an appeal as measles cases rise The appeal from Dr. Mehmet Oz comes as the U.S. risks losing its measles elimination status and as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has …
Government-politics US drops the number of vaccines it recommends for every child The Associated Press
Wellness Flu is rising rapidly, driven by a new variant. Here's what to know LAURAN NEERGAARD Associated Press
Government-politics In a tumultuous year, US health policy has been dramatically reshaped under RFK Jr. ALI SWENSON Associated Press
How to keep children safe from accidental medicine poisoning About 50,000 children under 5 go to ERs each year after swallowing medicine unintentionally.
Fear in Minnesota's Somali community deepens, hampering progress on measles vaccination Health workers say progress on measles vaccination is slipping as Somali families avoid clinics amid immigration crackdowns and rising fear in…
CDC studies show value of nationwide wastewater disease surveillance The Trump administration plans to slash funding for the surveillance system from about $125 million a year to about $25 million.
'Take the vaccine, please,' a top US health official says in an appeal as measles cases rise The appeal from Dr. Mehmet Oz comes as the U.S. risks losing its measles elimination status and as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has …