Category: Public Health

Pandemic-era flu shot rates mirror COVID-19 vaccine polarization: Study

Concerns and polarized views about COVID-19 vaccinations spilled over to flu vaccination rates in adults, according to a study by researchers who examined over two pandemic years on both vaccines by state. 

3 leading theories behind long COVID-19 

Three researchers across the globe are working to decipher the causes of long COVID-19 and determine the best ways to treat it, Science reported June 16.

FDA authorizes vaccine for youngest children

The long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 6 months old is now one step away from being available, which could be as early as June 21. 

Children’s hospitals prepare for vaccine rollout

Children’s hospitals across the nation are preparing to vaccinate the nation’s youngest population after an FDA advisory panel on June 15 unanimously endorsed COVID-19 shots for kids as young as 6 months.

Florida won’t allocate resources to support COVID-19 vaccine rollout for young kids

Florida will not employ any state resources to support the anticipated rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a June 16 press conference. 

Monkeypox infection rates may not be accurate due to lack of testing

The low number of monkeypox tests could be obscuring the true infection rates, similar to the plunge of reported COVID-19 tests, public health experts say.

Two Tennessee Abortion Clinics, Awaiting High-Court Ruling, Grapple With Uncertainty

The landmark Roe v. Wade decision could soon be overturned. Two Knoxville-based providers of reproductive health care wonder how — and if — they will continue to serve their patients.

Plummet in COVID-19 testing could be hiding infection rates

As omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 gain traction and infection “waves” slam into California, Texas, and St. Louis, infectious disease experts warn the nearly 80 percent decrease in testing over the last three months is disguising the current COVID-19…

Kaiser Permanente launches gun violence research center, funds $1.3M in grants

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente launched a new Center for Gun Violence Research and Education alongside funding $1.3 million in grants to nine recipients June 16.  

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Closing In on Covid Vaccines for ‘The Littles’

The wait is nearly over for parents of kids under 5 as a key advisory committee to the FDA recommends authorizing a covid-19 vaccine for the youngest children. Meanwhile, Congress is struggling to fill in the details of its gun control compromise, and, as the Supreme Court prepares to throw the question of abortion legality back to the states, the number of abortions has been rising. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.