FDA Panel Recommends Updating Covid Shots to Target XFG Strain
FDA advisory panel recommended updating fall and winter Covid-19 vaccines to target XFG (“stratus”), a rapidly growing omicron hybrid with mutations linked to partial antibody evasion. As of May 8, XFG caused over half of U.S. infections; XFG.1.1 about one in four.
Wastewater showed medium activity, and CDC reported lower hospitalizations than prior years, highest in infants under six months…
NPHIC and CDC Reinstate Monthly Communications Calls for Public Health Communicators
The National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) and CDC have relaunched a recurring monthly communication call series to strengthen coordination between CDC communication staff, regional press officers, and public health communicators nationwide.
Held on the fourth Wednesday of each month, the calls are designed to provide timely updates and opportunities for direct engagement on eme…
CDC Expands Ebola Screening to Atlanta; Updates U.S. Entry Restrictions
CDC expanded enhanced Ebola screening to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, adding a second U.S. entry point alongside Washington’s Dulles for travelers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.
WHO reports 82 confirmed cases and seven deaths, with additional suspected deaths and nearly 750 suspected cases linked to the Bundibugyo strain.
U.S. entry…
Survey Highlights Persistent Uncertainty on STI Vaccines
A nationally representative Annenberg Public Policy Center survey found that while most U.S. adults understand core STI transmission routes, knowledge gaps persist around less common pathways and vaccine availability.
Majorities correctly identified gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HPV, and genital herpes as sexually transmitted, but far fewer recognized mpox (35%) or Zika (13%) as sexually tr…
CDC Updates Guidance for Investigating Locally Acquired Malaria in the United States
CDC updated its operational guidance for investigating suspected locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria in the United States following 10 autochthonous cases reported across four states in 2023 after two decades without documented local transmission.
The guidance emphasizes that, although malaria was eliminated in the 1950s, widespread presence of Anopheles mosquitoes and increasing im…
Prevalence and Context of Sunburn Among U.S. Adults
The 2024 National Health Interview Survey found that 35.1% of U.S. adults (approximately 88.1 million) experienced at least one sunburn in the previous year, including 7.5% (18.8 million) with four or more sunburns.
Among adults reporting sunburn, the most common context for the most recent event was spending time in, on, or near water (60.6%), followed by exercising (24.7%), drinking alcohol…
VectorED Network Launches Webinar Series on Vector-Borne Disease Communication and Preparedness
The VectorED Network, a CDC-funded Training and Evaluation Center serving the Ohio River Valley region through Penn State, is offering a free professional development webinar series focused on strengthening education and communication related to vector-borne diseases.
Sessions will address the history of Lyme disease, best practices for risk communication during emergent threats, and vector b…