Nobody expected polio to be back.

It’s 2040, a decade since the disease was eradicated. The global health campaign that vanquished the virus has disbanded; immunization efforts have slackened. Then, one day, a sick child in a conflict-wracked country develops paralysis; the cause turns out to be polio. Scientists trace the origin of the virus to a laboratory on the other side of the world. A technician at the lab had handled a forgotten batch of polio-infected material — and then visited their family abroad.

As cases multiply, the World Health Organization (WHO) appeals for help to conduct emergency immunization campaigns, but stocks of vaccines are low and few members of staff have direct experience of polio outbreaks. Soon there are tens of thousands of cases: millions more people around the world who haven’t had the vaccine are at risk.

Read more at Nature.

For immune health, some influencers seem to think the Goldilocks philosophy of “just right” is overrated. Why settle for less immunity when you can have more? Many social media posts push supplements and other life hacks that “boost your immune system” to keep you healthy and fend off illness.

However, these claims are not based on science and what is known about immune function. Healthy immune systems don’t need to be “boosted.” Instead, the immune system works best when it is perfectly balanced. Scientific experts on the immune system – immunologists – know that too much of an immune reaction could result in allergies, autoimmune disorders or chronic inflammation. On the flip side, too little of an immune reaction could result in illness or infection.

Your immune system requires a delicate balance to operate properly. When it’s out of balance, your immune system itself can cause disease.

Read more at The Conversation.

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who was awarded an Honorary FAAP designation by the AAP for her work to strengthen childhood immunization rates, died Nov. 19 at age 96.

Mrs. Carter spent her life as a leading advocate for mental health, caregiving, early childhood vaccinations, human rights and conflict resolution through her work at The Carter Center in Atlanta, a nonprofit she founded in 1982 with her husband, former President Jimmy Carter.

“We mourn the loss and celebrate the life and many contributions of first lady Rosalynn Carter, whose work to promote vaccinations and mental health care improved the health, safety and well-being of all children,” said AAP President Sandy L. Chung, M.D., FAAP. “Her work in these areas began before she arrived at the White House and continued through the rest of her life. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with her on these issues and her lifelong commitment to children’s health.”

Read more at AAP News.

Global cases of measles increased by 18% from 2021 to 2022, following a drop in vaccinations over the past few years, according to a new report Thursday from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Deaths due to measles have also increased globally by 43% from 2021 to 2022, the new data shows.

“The alarming increase in measles cases and deaths globally is a clear warning sign,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an ABC News medical contributor and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital. “The drop in vaccination rates over recent years has set the stage for this resurgence, particularly impacting children who are most vulnerable.”

Read more at ABC.

The updated COVID-19 vaccine is widely available in many pharmacies and doctor’s offices across the country, making now a good time to book your shot if you haven’t already.

You’ve probably heard that the vaccine comes with a risk of side effects. While doctors stress that these are potential side effects and that there’s no guaranteed way to avoid symptoms like fatigue or chills after your shot, it makes sense to want to be prepared for them just in case.¹ With that in mind, doctors recommend taking these steps after receiving your COVID-19 vaccine to try to help yourself feel comfortable and to enhance your body’s response to the vaccine.

Read more at Verywell Health.

Covid and flu shots can be safely given at the same time, and according to a small new study, doing so may even confer benefits.

Findings presented Monday at the Vaccines Summit Boston, an annual scientific conference, suggest that giving Covid and flu shots together could produce a stronger antibody response against the coronavirus than administering the vaccines separately.

The study measured the antibody levels of 42 health care workers in Massachusetts who were vaccinated last fall. Twelve of the participants received a bivalent Covid booster and seasonal influenza shot on the same day. Another 30 received the shots on different days within the span of a month. 

Read more at NBC.

An estimated 36 million adults in the United States have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday, according to new data from the federal government.

Additionally, about 3.5 million children have also gotten the updated shot, according to the survey, which is a sample size of the U.S. population, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is roughly equal to the number of Americans who had received the bivalent booster — which was targeted against different COVID variants — by this time last year.

Read more at ABC.

In a recent survey, most adults said they do all they can to prevent the spread of seasonal viruses; however, 33% also said that they do not think their decision about vaccination affects others.

Megan Conroy, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care specialist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and clinical assistant professor at the institution’s College of Medicine, told Healio that the findings highlight “an opportunity to improve vaccination education.”

Read more at Healio.

The number of kids whose caregivers are opting them out of routine childhood vaccines has reached an all-time high, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of children unprotected against preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough.

The report did not dive into the reasons for the increase, but experts said the findings clearly reflect Americans’ growing unease about medicine in general.

Read more at NBC.

With Thanksgiving only two weeks away, now’s the time to get protected against potentially deadly fall viruses.

In an interview with CBS News, Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said this is the best window to get vaccinated to protect yourself and your family for the holiday.

“We know we’re going to see more flu starting to circulate, and more COVID, so right now is a great time for you to get vaccinated. That way, your body can build up its protection ahead of the holiday season,” she said.

Read more at CBS.