Tag

Vaccine Hesitancy

All articles tagged with #vaccine hesitancy

health1 day ago•17 min saved

Meet-and-greets: how one clinic tackles vaccine hesitancy

In Massachusetts, Middleboro Pediatrics uses extended “meet-and-greet” conversations with vaccine-hesitant families to understand concerns, explain risks and benefits of vaccines, and build trust rather than dismiss patients. The approach acknowledges local variation in uptake and the broader political and public-health shifts affecting how doctors discuss immunization, aiming to keep families engaged and informed rather than expelled from care.

via STAT|

#doctor-patient-relationship #health #immunization

health14 days ago•8 min saved

Vaccine Uncertainty Grows in the U.S. as Measles Cases Rise

Even as measles outbreaks reach multi-decade highs, U.S. vaccination rates have edged down and nonmedical exemptions climbed, with a July KFF survey finding few people firmly believe common vaccine myths. Instead, most adults sit in a large uncertain middle—confused by conflicting messages and amplified by politics and social media—making them vulnerable to misinformation. Public health experts urge listening to concerns, providing clear, evidence-based information, and leveraging trusted healthcare providers to help hesitant individuals move toward vaccination. The framework for hesitancy includes five broad groups (Lost, Anxious, Naturalists, Distrusters, Shruggers) and underscores that hesitancy is complex, not simply opposition, which could hinder efforts to prevent outbreaks if immunization rates dip further.

via CNBC|

#exemptions #health #measles

health16 days ago•6 min saved

Measles Resurges in the U.S. as Cases Hit Decades-High

Measles cases in the U.S. have reached a record high for the first time since 1991, with over 4,850 infections and three deaths as of July, despite vaccines being widely available. The rise underscores persistent gaps in immunization rates, concerns about vaccine access and safety, and ongoing political debates over vaccination policy that could affect future protection.

via ProPublica|

#health #measles #policy

health27 days ago•5 min saved

mFlusiva: New mRNA flu shot outperforms traditional vaccines, but uptake may lag

FDA-approved Moderna’s mFlusiva for adults 50+ after a large study in adults aged 50-64 showed it’s about 26.6% more effective than traditional flu vaccines; approval for 65+ is provisional pending more data. Experts say it could better match circulating strains and save lives, but public concerns about mRNA and misinformation may hinder uptake, particularly on Long Island where flu vaccination rates hover around 48%.

via Newsday|

#fda-approval #flu-vaccine #health

health1 month ago•4 min saved

Senate OKs Erica Schwartz to lead the CDC amid measles surge and vaccine politics

The Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as the CDC’s first permanent director in about a year in a 51-44 vote largely along party lines. Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general and Navy physician, will oversee vaccine guidance and outbreak response as the agency confronts a measles surge, a cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce, and rising vaccine hesitancy amid Kennedy-era policy debates. Her nomination followed a contentious hearing about distancing from some of Kennedy’s stances, with Republican Sen. Cassidy praising her commitment to standing up to misinformation and noting shifts in immunization policy under Kennedy.

via NBC News|

#cdc #erica-schwartz #health

health1 month ago•18 min saved

Measles resurges as herd immunity fades in the US

Measles has re-emerged in the U.S., with more than 2,300 cases this year—the highest since 1992—amid dropping childhood vaccination rates and rising misinformation; CDC data shows more cases in the last two years than in the prior 24, and only about 28% of US counties meet the 95% herd-immunity threshold, fueling outbreaks in several states.

via vox.com|

#health #measles #outbreaks

health1 month ago•12 min saved

Storytelling fuels vaccine hesitancy, shaping beliefs beyond facts

Vaccine-hesitant groups use dynamic, symbolic stories that frame vaccines as threats to autonomy and civil liberty, often decoupling medicine from vaccination. Facts alone struggle to shift beliefs because hesitancy arises from misinformation, the desire for social belonging, and lived experiences with medicine. Public health is increasingly adopting narrative strategies, but experts emphasize engaging with these stories, validating the concerns of marginalized communities, and teaching narrative literacy to counter misinformation while promoting respectful, informed dialogue.

via The Conversation|

#autonomy #health #health-communication

health1 month ago•14 min saved

Measles makes a brutal comeback as doctors warn of a vaccine-trust crisis

Measles cases in the United States have surged to a 35-year high, driven by domestic outbreaks in under-vaccinated communities (notably in Utah), with hundreds hospitalized and several deaths. The CDC is finalizing a comprehensive assessment that could strip the nation of measles-elimination status, while doctors describe the emotional and clinical toll of severe illness and argue for rebuilding trust through consistent, compassionate public health messaging and policy support to boost vaccination.

via Daily Kos|

#health #measles #outbreaks

health1 month ago•8 min saved

US measles cases surge to 35-year high, prompting elimination-status scrutiny

The US has 2,318 confirmed measles cases in 2026 (seven months in), a 35-year high, driven by rising vaccine hesitancy and lower immunisation rates. About 45 states have outbreaks across the country, including Texas and the Northeast, with public health officials warning that the US could lose its measles elimination status unless transmission ends; a November panel decision looms. Experts note the two-dose MMR vaccine is 97% effective, while misinformation linked to figures like RFK Jr has complicated containment efforts.

via BBC|

#health #measles #public-health

health1 month ago•17 min saved

Measles Resurgent: Utah Doctors on the Front Lines

Measles cases in the US have reached a 35-year high with nearly 400 hospitalizations this year and several deaths, threatening elimination status as outbreaks persist, especially in Utah since 2025. KFF Health News spoke with six Utah pediatricians who describe severely ill, often unvaccinated children, the emotional toll on families, and the spread of misinformation and political divisions fueling hesitancy. The doctors advocate compassionate, trust-building conversations, more consistent public messaging, and policy actions to restore vaccination rates and prevent further, preventable suffering.

via WIRED|

#health #measles #public-health

health1 month ago•10 min saved

Life beyond an iron lung: Martha Lillard's decades of independence

Martha Lillard, the last U.S. polio patient to rely on an iron lung, died at 78 after decades of independence—driving a car, painting, and caring for beagles—highlighting polio's lasting legacy and renewed concerns about vaccine hesitancy and long COVID as potential factors in her death.

via BBC|

#health #iron-lung #long-covid

science-policy2 months ago•8 min saved

Trust in Science Isn’t Crumbling—Time to Fix the Gaps

The piece argues that trust in science is not collapsing globally; surveys show middling to high trust, but confidence varies by country and group, with political polarization, perceived elitism, and rising vaccine hesitancy. It urges nuanced measures of trust, transparent communication about uncertainties, and greater public involvement in research priorities to address concerns and strengthen science’s link to society.

via Nature|

#policy-and-funding #public-engagement #science-communication

health2 months ago•26 min saved

Distrust and low vaccines threaten Lancaster measles containment

Pennsylvania’s largest measles outbreak in more than three decades is hampered by growing distrust of health professionals and falling vaccination rates, especially in Lancaster County where Amish and Mennonite communities are more likely to skip shots; health officials are tracing cases, urging vaccination, and warning that many infections may be underreported and can lead to serious complications.

via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|

#amish-mennonite #health #herd-immunity

health2 months ago•4 min saved

Tetanus Cases Edge Up in the U.S. as Vaccination Gaps Reappear

Tetanus cases are rising in the U.S. but remain rare; most infections occur in unvaccinated or under‑vaccinated individuals. A recent JAMA viewpoint notes 2025 saw 33 cases (up from 18 in 2023), underscoring that tetanus is preventable through vaccination and boosters. Health experts urge sticking to the recommended schedule and getting boosters after injuries to avert a painful, potentially deadly disease.

via womenshealthmag.com|

#cdc #health #public-health

health4 months ago•3 min saved

Media diets shape vaccine beliefs, Johns Hopkins study finds

A Johns Hopkins study of 2,970 U.S. adults finds that regular consumption of 'new right' media outlets is linked to more than double the likelihood of vaccine hesitancy, with hesitant individuals also more likely to rely on non-authoritative health sources and online influencers; the research notes physician information as a protective factor and calls for health communicators to address where people get vaccine information as measles cases rise.

via Johns Hopkins University|

#health #measles #media-consumption