Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CMS To States: You Don’t Have To Report Childhood Vax Levels Anymore
CIDRAP: CMS To Stop Requiring States To Report Childhood Vaccination Levels
States will no longer be required to report how many children they vaccinate to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), according to a December 30 letter to state health officials. As a measure of the quality of the care, states have been required to report the percentage of patients covered by Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Plan who are immunized. (Szabo, 1/2)
The Guardian: Canadian Officials Say US Health Institutions No Longer Dependable For Accurate Information
Canadian officials and public health experts are warning that US health and science institutions can no longer be depended upon for accurate information, particularly when it comes to vaccinations, amid fears that misinformation from the Trump administration could further erode Canadians’ confidence in healthcare. “I can’t imagine a world in which this misinformation doesn’t creep into Canadians’ consciousness and leads to doubt,” said Dawn Bowdish, an immunologist and professor at McMaster University in Ontario. (Bowden, 1/4)
Related news about measles vaccinations —
NBC News: Delaying Vaccines In Baby's First Months Raises Likelihood Of Skipping Measles Shots
With the United States likely to lose its measles elimination status in the next few months and the possibility of looming changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, new research highlights the risk of delaying vaccination. (Fattah, 1/2)
CNN: More Than 2,000 Measles Cases Reported In The US In 2025 As Ongoing Outbreaks Threaten Elimination Status
The United States reported more than 2,000 measles cases in 2025, federal data shows, a higher annual total than the country has seen in decades. (McPhillips, 1/1)
In other outbreaks and health threats —
ABC News: New York Reports Record-Breaking Number Of Flu Hospitalizations In A Single Week
New York is reporting the highest number of flu hospitalizations recorded in a single week, the state's health department said on Friday. During the week ending Dec. 27, 4,546 people were hospitalized with flu, a 24% increase from the 3,666 who were hospitalized the previous week, according to data from the New York State Department of Health (NYSOH). (Kekatos, 1/2)
CIDRAP: Rare Welder’s Anthrax Case In Louisiana Successfully Treated With Monoclonal Antibody
The ninth known case of welder’s anthrax, and the first clinical use of the monoclonal antibody medication obiltoxaximab to treat it, was recently documented in Louisiana. An account of the case, published in the most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marks a significant development in the treatment of an often-fatal condition that can afflict metalworkers in the southern United States. (Bergeson, 1/2)
WUSF: Why Florida Whooping Cough Cases Doubled In 2025 Compared To 2024
Florida cases of pertussis — also known as whooping cough — are at a five-year high. The Florida Department of Health reported 1,454 cases in 2025 through Dec. 6, compared to 715 in all of 2024, according to the state’s Reportable Diseases Frequency Report. 369 of those cases were reported in the Greater Tampa Bay region. Pediatricians say vaccine hesitancy is a big reason why, along with older adults who have compromised immune systems and haven’t had a booster shot in a while. (Miller, 1/5)
Newsweek: Superbug Fungus Candida Auris: What To Know As US Faces ‘Alarming’ Spread
A deadly fungus is spreading across the U.S., with researchers reporting that it carries a high level of resistance to convential treatments. Candida auris, a species of fungus first identified in Japan back in 2009, is being monitored in the U.S. as fears emerge that it could pose a deadly threat to people across the country. (Fleur Afshar, 1/1)
CIDRAP: Review Of 200 Novel Human Viruses Over A Century A Reminder That Pathogen Emergence Isn’t Rare
A systematic review of more than 200 studies published in BMC Infectious Diseases on human viruses over more than a century suggests that viral emergence peaked from 1950 to 1979 and again starting in 2000, with most initially detected in the United States, China, and Australia. For the study, researchers from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, conducted a systematic review of 212 human viruses reported from 1900 to 2024 to determine temporal trends, geographic origins, modes of transmission, and clinical syndromes. (Van Beusekom, 1/2)
Also —
NBC Chicago: Hundreds Of Grocery Items Recalled Due To ‘Unsanitary’ Facility
Hundreds of popular items sold under recognizable brand names in small grocery stores and markets across Indiana and Minnesota are being recalled after it was found they may be contaminated with Salmonella and "filth" like rodent, bird and insect droppings, according to a release from the Food and Drug Administration. The impacted products include everything from jars of JIF Peanut Butter, to cans of Pringles and boxes of Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, Benadryl and Alka-Seltzer. (12/29)
