vaccines

A medida que la temporada de gripe empieza a aparecer en el centro del país, los nuevos y diferentes mensajes sobre las vacunas procedentes de Washington están provocando dudas sobre la vacunación. Y las autoridades sanitarias de Kansas City están observando una tendencia preocupante en el número de personas que contraen la tos ferina.

As flu season settles over the Midwest, new and different vaccine messaging from Washington is spurring vaccine hesitation. And Kansas City health officials are noticing a concerning trend in the number of people contracting whooping cough.

Federal Medicare and Medicaid regulations mandate staff vaccinations for employers that receive funding. But the high court ruled that Katlin Keeran was protected by a 2021 Kansas law making it illegal for employers to question the sincerity of religious beliefs for opting out of vaccines.

In a change from previous federal recommendations, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved this year's shots only for older people and those with underlying health conditions.

A community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks. In Missouri, the rate of vaccinated kindergarteners stands at 90%, while some areas have rates as low as 75%.

The CDC has already changed some vaccine guidelines, and the FDA may change others, which could throw insurance coverage into question and lead to fewer people getting shots.

The last new Kansas measles cases were reported during the week of July 6. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,356 confirmed cases of measles as of last week.

Dr. Sarah Boyd, an infectious disease specialist with Saint Luke's Health System, told KCUR that federal cuts to mRNA research and development could cause a setback in pandemic preparedness.

As the U.S. records its highest number of measles cases in decades, one Wyandotte County district draws comfort from its high vaccination rate. Another is working to catch up.

Converted from a former hotel, the St. Louis University facility acts as a field study to learn more about the flu. But you can’t check out anytime you like, because you’ll be infected with influenza.

Officials say an unvaccinated child in Sedgwick County has tested positive for measles.

With vaccine skepticism on the rise, immunization rates in decline and public funds disappearing, the country faces its largest measles outbreak since 2019.