COVID-19, flu and RSV shots − an epidemiologist explains why all three matter this fall

The Food and Drug Administration approved and granted emergency use authorization on Aug. 22, 2024, for the newest, updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and…

CDC says people ages 65 and up should get a shot this spring – a geriatrician explains why it’s vitally important

In my mind, the spring season will always be associated with COVID-19. In spring 2020, the federal government declared a nationwide emergency, and life drastically changed. Schools and businesses closed,…

Health misinformation is rampant on social media – here’s what it does, why it spreads and what people can do about it

The global anti-vaccine movement and vaccine hesitancy that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic show no signs of abating. According to a survey of U.S. adults, Americans in October 2023 were…

COVID-19 vaccine mandates have come and mostly gone in the US – an ethicist explains why their messy rollout matters for trust in public health

Ending pandemics is a social decision, not scientific. Governments and organizations rely on social, cultural and political considerations to decide when to officially declare the end of a pandemic. Ideally,…

Vaccines against COVID-19, the seasonal flu and RSV are our best chance of preventing a winter surge

As cold and flu season ramps up, health care experts are once again on high alert for the possibility of a tripledemic, or a surge brought on by the respiratory…

CDC greenlights two updated COVID-19 vaccines, but how will they fare against the latest variants? 5 questions answered

On Sept. 12, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the newly formulated COVID-19 vaccines for all Americans ages 6 months and up, hours after its expert advisory…

What does ending the emergency status of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US mean in practice? 4 questions answered

The COVID-19 pandemic’s public health emergency status in the U.S. expires on May 11, 2023. And on May 5, the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 public…