Decline In Childhood Shots Creating Gaps That Could Hurt Herd Immunity

The New York Times: Childhood Vaccination Rates Were Falling Even Before The Rise Of R.F.K. Jr.
After years of holding steady, American vaccination rates against once-common childhood diseases have been dropping. Nationwide, the rate of kindergartners with complete records for the measles vaccine declined from around 95 percent before the pandemic to under 93 percent last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Immunization rates against polio, whooping cough and chickenpox fell similarly. (Paris, 1/12)

MedPage Today: Growing 'Medical Freedom' Movement Poses Challenge For Public Health
The "medical freedom" movement that has gained traction in the U.S. since the COVID-19 pandemic could continue to push public health statistics in a troubling direction, experts told MedPage Today. ... In 2024, the percentage of U.S. kindergartners with an exemption from at least one required vaccine increased to 3.3%, the highest percentage ever noted, according to the CDC. There also were more than 32,000 cases of pertussis, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and there were 16 measles outbreaks totaling 284 cases, up from 4 outbreaks with 59 cases the year prior, CDC said. (Henderson, 1/10)

The Washington Post: HHS Chief Becerra Describes Frustrations Combating Social Media Misinformation
As they entered office at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2021, Xavier Becerra and his allies had a plan to restore Americans’ faith in the nation’s beleaguered public health agencies. ... Four years later, the pandemic has receded. But trust in America’s health agencies has not recovered. The percentage of adults who regarded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as “excellent” or “good” fell from 64 percent in April 2019 to 40 percent in October 2021 — a rating that has stubbornly refused to budge in the subsequent three years, according to Gallup polls, despite the Biden administration’s efforts to rebuild confidence. (Diamond, 1/12)

On E. coli, norovirus, and salmonella —

CBS News: FDA Finds Little Handwashing, Dirty Equipment At McDonald's Supplier Linked To E. Coli Outbreak
Food and Drug Administration officials turned up dozens of violations at a McDonald's supplier linked to a deadly outbreak of E. coli that led to more than a hundred infections and a sweeping recall of onions used in the fast food chain's products, including its Quarter Pounder burgers. The violations, detailed in an inspection report released to CBS News in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, were seen during an inspection of a food production facility in Colorado run by Taylor Farms. (Tin, 1/10)

Fortune Well: Moderna Recruiting Participants For Nova 301, Norovirus MRNA Vaccine Clinical Trial
“Stomach bug,” “cruise-ship virus,” “winter vomiting disease”—all are nicknames for norovirus, the top cause of vomiting, diarrhea, and foodborne illness in the U.S. The contagious ailment typically circulates throughout the late fall, winter, and early spring, and the 2024–25 season is no exception. Nationwide test positivity was nearly 23% the week ended Dec. 28, compared to less than 11% six weeks earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Up to 21 million people contract norovirus each year in the U.S. alone, the CDC says. Though most people recover from the gastrointestinal illness within three days, norovirus is annually responsible for 465,000 emergency department visits, mostly in young children; 109,000 hospitalizations; and 900 deaths, mostly among adults 65 and older. (Leake, 1/11)

Newsweek: Life-Threatening Infections Spread By Dogs, Pet Owners Warned
Pet dogs are an important but overlooked source of salmonella infections among humans, a recent study from Penn State University (PSU) has found. Hygiene practices of dog owners, dog food safety and antibiotics given to dogs could all impact the likelihood, severity and treatability of salmonella infections in humans, the scientists concluded. (Willmoth, 1/10)

On bird flu —

CNN: California Child Is Presumed Positive For Bird Flu
A child in San Francisco who had red eyes and a fever had a probable case of H5N1 bird flu, according to the city’s Department of Public Health. The case was caught by routine surveillance. When the child developed symptoms, they were checked for RSV, Covid-19 and the flu, and they tested positive for influenza A. (Goodman, 1/10)

CIDRAP: Avian Flu Strikes More US Poultry On East Coast And In Midwest
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today confirmed more H5N1 avian flu detections in poultry from three states, including on a second commercial broiler farm in Delaware's Kent County. Also, officials confirmed an outbreak at a backyard farm in Michigan's Oakland County that has 100 birds, an event first announced by Michigan's agriculture department yesterday. (Schnirring, 1/10)

On 'Havana Syndrome' and superbugs —

AP: US Finds No 'Havana Syndrome' Link To Foreign Powers, But 2 Spy Agencies Say It's Possible
U.S. intelligence has found no evidence linking a foreign power to the mysterious “Havana syndrome” injuries reported by some U.S. diplomats and other government personnel, though two agencies now say it’s possible a foreign adversary may have developed or even deployed a weapon responsible for the injuries. The conclusion, which echoes early investigations, follows a review conducted by seven intelligence agencies or departments that examined cases of brain injuries and other symptoms reported by American diplomats and other military and government staffers. (Klepper, 1/10)

Bloomberg: Wockhardt Sees Drugs To Fight Superbugs As Next Growth Driver
Wockhardt Ltd. expects a boost to revenue from its new drug to fight pneumonia-causing superbugs in India, where rampant use of antibiotics has made the population vulnerable to antimicrobial resistance. (Sanjay, 1/12)