vaccines

High vaccination rates can help prevent the spread of severe illnesses like measles and polio. But pediatricians say they're encountering more parents hesitant to get their kids immunized.

Experts said that small DNA fragments found in the vaccines are not cause for concern. Cells are needed to make vaccines, and those cells contain DNA.

Health officials predict that the variant may be more transmissible or is better at evading our immune systems. However, there's no sign so far that JN.1 causes more severe illness than other variants.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is criticizing efforts across the U.S. to tamp down a recent jump in COVID-19 cases through temporary restrictions or masking. DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo spoke against COVID-19 restrictions that have been implemented recently to combat a new uptick in COVID cases.

Cases in the U.S. are 10 times higher than they were a month ago. Researchers advise that the coming days and weeks will be crucial as to whether the outbreak can be contained.

The president "will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," a White House statement said.

Public health experts know what it takes to control a disease outbreak: access to testing and vaccines. But in the last two months of the monkeypox outbreak, the response has not met the need.

The BA.5 strain represented 65% of cases from July 3 to 9, according to data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for kids from 6 months to 5 years old expected as early as next week, Florida is in the national spotlight. It was the only state not to request the vaccine from the federal government.

As the Food and Drug Administration weighs approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children under age 5, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo is opposed to the potential change.

Federal health officials could authorize COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than five later this week. If they do, health experts say families should act quickly.

Pfizer plans to submit new data to the Food and Drug Administration this week, bringing families with young children one step closer to a long-awaited vaccine.