The percentage of U.S. children entering kindergarten with their required immunizations fell to 93% in the 2021-22 school year, 2 percentage points below recommended herd immunity levels of 95% and lower than vaccination rates in 2020-21. Read more»
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Across the country, health officials have been trying to combat misinformation and restore trust within their communities these past few years, a period when many people haven’t put full faith in their state and local health departments. Read more»
Newly compiled data reveals how severely the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Indigenous communities in Arizona at the onset of the pandemic, and it shows how the community’s response helped reverse the trends in 2021. Read more»
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Biden administration has to continue with an emergency health order the federal government has used for more than two years to quickly turn away migrants, including those seeking asylum, at the southwest border. Read more»
The U.S. Supreme Court is keeping Title 42 in place until the justices can review whether the pandemic-era program should be lifted or continue, staying a lower court’s ruling that would have allowed the program to expire on Wednesday. Read more»
Green Valley will host a series of four free COVID-19 and flu vaccination events to make sure adults 65 years and older get protected against a worse-than-normal spread of respiratory diseases. Read more»
The continued spread of RSV, influenza and COVID-19 has caused an increase in the number of area hospital beds in use, the Pima County Health Department warned. People should wear masks and socially distance during holiday gatherings, and get vaccinated, officials said. Read more»
Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid - which helped prevent many people infected with COVID-19 from being hospitalized or dying - courtesy of the federal government, but the government plans to stop footing the bill within months, and millions may have to pay the full price. Read more»
Earlier this year, top leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began the task of reforming the agency, but the current workplace structure could be a major barrier as the agency has embraced a workplace program that allows most of its scientists to stay remote. Read more»
As the holidays near and health care facilities grapple with a "tripledemic" of viral respiratory infections, people are being urged to consider donning masks and calling out sick. Nearly 10% of weekly deaths as of Dec. 1 were attributed to pneumonia, flu or COVID-19. And that was with Thanksgiving barely in the rear view. Read more»
As the holidays loom, three respiratory illnesses are hitting the state and public health officials say now is the very best time for Arizonans to get vaccinated in order to be best protected come time for family gatherings. Read more»
A new mobile health clinic will be making its way to Pima County public libraries starting this Friday. Read more»
A new research program combining the efforts of Northern Arizona University and the University of Washington aims to create a vaccine for Valley fever, an infectious fungal disease that poses an increasing threat as the climate continues to warm and dry. Read more»
Although drug dealers operate on many social media platforms, experts are most worried about Snapchat due to the app’s anonymity, and an Arizona effort is underway to help inform parents of the dangers of fentanyl and cartels’ use of social media to reach vulnerable youth. Read more»
Experts say the spike of respiratory syncytial virus infections hospitals across the country are seeing among children is most likely caused by an immunity gap created by the lack of exposure to the virus over the past couple of years - not the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine. Read more»
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the federal government from continuing to use an emergency health order known as Title 42 to immediately expel migrants at the southern border after they have entered the United States. Read more»