Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cicada, The Newest Covid Variant, Is Spreading Mostly Among Children 3-15
CNN: Kids May Be More Likely To Get The New ‘Cicada’ Variant Of Covid-19, Scientists Say. Here’s What To Know About BA.3.2
A heavily mutated variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 appears to be affecting primarily children, scientists say, though it’s not causing more severe disease – in kids or in adults. Rather, experts say the fact that the virus is breaking with its pattern of being a menace, primarily, of older adults is a telling detail. It’s something to study and understand so that scientists can better predict the behavior of this ever-evolving virus. (Goodman, 4/2)
KFF Health News: Listen: What The Vaccine Schedule Whiplash Means For Your Kids
Big swings in federal vaccine policy are creating confusion for some parents and clinicians. A federal judge recently struck down Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new, shortened list of recommended vaccines for all kids. But with the Trump administration likely to appeal, the situation is in flux. Meanwhile, cases of vaccine-preventable illnesses such as measles, mumps, and whooping cough continue to accumulate nationwide and in the Washington, D.C., area. (Rovner, 4/3)
CIDRAP: Describing Vaccines In Terms Of Freedom Can Lead Some Hesitant Older Adults To Accept COVID Shots, Study Finds
Vaccine-hesitant older adults were more willing to accept hypothetical COVID shots when they were described as way to preserve their freedom and autonomy rather than as an action that complies with government recommendations, a new study finds. In an experiment in which 907 participants were asked to rate their willingness to get a hypothetical COVID shot, many people concerned about vaccine safety responded favorably when researchers framed COVID vaccination as a way to maintain their freedom from disease and avoid restrictions on activities caused by illness. (Szabo, 4/2)
On Hib, the flu vaccine, and typhus —
NBC News: A Deadly Bacterial Disease Is Returning, Doctors Warn, As Vaccination Rates Fall
A scar that runs along the base of Dr. Lara Johnson’s neck serves as a permanent reminder of the devastating effects of a vaccine-preventable disease. When Johnson was 4 years old, she caught a dangerous, potentially deadly bacterial infection: Haemophilus influenzae type b, commonly called Hib. (Edwards, 4/2)
CIDRAP: High-Dose Flu Vaccine Tied To Lower Alzheimer’s Risk In Older Adults
Receiving a high-dose flu vaccine is associated with a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease than a standard-dose vaccine in adults aged 65 and older, according to a large observational study published in Neurology. The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking vaccination, and possibly immune system activity, to reduced dementia risk. (Bergeson, 4/2)
CBS News: LA County Public Health Reports Flea-Borne Typhus Cases At All-Time High
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported the highest-ever number of flea-borne typhus cases in 2025, with 220 cases. While cases were reported across the county, three areas were most affected, including Central Los Angeles City, Santa Monica, and Willowbrook. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, but the county said that 9 out of 10 people identified last year with typhus required hospitalization. (Sharp, 4/2)
On measles, shingles, and mpox —
The Hill: Chicago Authorities Warn Of Possible Measles Exposure At O'Hare
Officials from the Cook County Department of Public Health in Illinois warned Tuesday of possible exposure to measles from a contagious individual at O’Hare International Airport and two other locations. In a press release, the department said people may have been exposed to measles if they were in Terminal 5 at the airport between 10:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 24. (Rego, 4/2)
The Texas Tribune: Most Of Texas’ 175 Measles Cases Are In Federal Detention Centers
State officials have reported 28 more measles cases in the last two weeks, bringing the statewide total to at least 175 infections so far this year. The vast majority of cases are in a federal detention facility in Hudspeth County, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, which released the latest figures on Thursday. (Simpson, 4/2)
CIDRAP: Study Suggests Elevated Shingles Risk In Younger Adults With Chronic Conditions
Some younger adults with common chronic conditions may face a higher risk of herpes zoster (HZ, shingles) than older adults currently targeted for routine vaccination, according to a new retrospective cohort study published late last week in Clinical Infectious Diseases. (Bergeson, 3/30)
AP: Congo Says Its Mpox Outbreak Is Over After 2 Years And Thousands Of Cases
Congo on Thursday declared the end of a two-year outbreak of the mpox disease that’s believed to have caused more than 2,200 deaths in the country. Health Minister Roger Kamba told journalists that the government had made the determination that the outbreak was over and no longer a national emergency. (4/2)
