Coronavirus Updates May 1, 2025

[missy]

For @Daisys and Diamonds
Including the entire article as it contains other info people might want to read

Novavax confusion, food dyes, measles, dengue, and a new backup plan for vaccines​

The Dose​

KATELYN JETELINA

"Measles cases are still rising fast, dengue season is heating up early, and food dyes may be on their way out. Plus, a lot of confusion around Novavax Covid-19 vaccine approval and a new backup plan for vaccine policy.
Here’s the much-needed context and what it may mean to you.

Infectious disease alerts​

Measles: We’re now at 923 cases nationwide. It’s hard to determine whether we’re at the beginning or middle of these outbreaks, given significant underreporting, but we’re quickly approaching the highest number of cases recorded in the past 25 years.

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Figure by Your Local Epidemiologist
For the big Texas outbreak, I’m keeping a close eye on:

• El Paso: 29 cases in just 18 days.
• Chihuahua, Mexico: Outbreak is surging, with 605 cases reported.
• New Mexico: Signs of slowing, with fewer new cases each week.

A new KFF poll shows a stark divide in public concern: 76% of Democrats say they’re worried about the measles outbreak, compared to just 28% of Republicans.
For a deeper dive, check out the SITREP report:

	Ysph Vmoc Special Report Measles Outbrea... 2.01MB ∙ PDF file
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Dengue (also known as breakbone fever), traditionally considered a neglected tropical disease, is creeping northward due to a warming Earth, resulting in more locally acquired cases and an increase in cases from international travel. Last year, Puerto Rico declared a state of emergency. Most infections are asymptomatic, but 1 in 4 infections cause flu-like symptoms and can occasionally (1 in 20 infections) cause more severe disease like hemorrhagic fever.
This year, CDC has reported 1,568 cases—mostly from international travel and mostly in Puerto Rico. But Hawaii made news last week as they already reported 7 travel-related cases—higher than expected for this time of year:

• 2024: 14 total cases
• Previous years: 4 cases on average

We will likely see more cases in the U.S., but for now, it remains a rare occurrence.

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What does this mean to you? Risk is very low and not uniform across the States. TX, CA, FL, and PR typically see the most locally acquired cases. Prevention is simple: EPA-recommended insect repellents, especially those with DEET. They really do work. Here is a YLE deep dive on mosquito-borne illnesses in the U.S. if you’re looking for more context.

FDA moves to phase out all petroleum-based food dyes​

Red dye #3 is already out the door, and the new HHS administration is trying to phase out the rest. Last Tuesday, HHS announced the initiative.
What actually happened:

• Only two rarely-used colors—Citrus Red 2 and Orange B—were officially revoked.
• For the remaining six, which are more widely used, it will be entirely up to the food industry under a voluntary “understanding”—not a formal ban. Response from industry members so far has been mixed; some have pledged support, while others are maintaining their safety.

Some key context:

• Contrary to popular belief, five of these six colors are allowed in Europe whose regulatory body follows a more cautionary hazard-based approach to food safety. They just use different names on their food labels. Dr. Andrea Love created a great table (see below).

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• Possible tradeoffs: Natural colors are generally less vibrant and may help reduce the appeal of unhealthy foods to kids. It will be interesting to see the impact on consumers. But natural colors are also more expensive to make, less consistent (affected by pH, cooking and processing) and less shelf-stable—which means higher food costs and potentially more food waste. Some natural colors may also pose a risk to individuals with food allergies, making transparency in ingredient labeling critical.

What does this mean for you? It’s unclear at this point. The impact on you as a consumer will depend on how—and whether—the industry chooses to shift. But again, let’s not lose the forest for the trees. For real progress to make America healthier, we need a number of systematic changes that tackle root causes.

What’s happening with Novavax? This is a good question.​

Unlike Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, Novavax uses a more traditional protein-based platform. It has been available under emergency use authorization while working toward full FDA approval—the gold standard for maintaining market access. Manufacturing delays have slowed that process. But a lot has changed in just the past month.
Here’s what I know:

• Full approval was originally scheduled for April 1, but that decision was paused—eerily, just after Dr. Peter Marks was forced to resign—sparking speculation of political interference.
• Last week, Novavax announced it’s back on track for full approval.
• Then, over the weekend, the FDA said that it is requiring a clinical trial to reevaluate the effectiveness of Novavax.
• And now, more recent comments suggest that the same bar might be applied to Moderna and Pfizer vaccines as well.

This is… not normal. A new clinical trial could cost millions of dollars—which isn’t my main concern, given the financial position of these companies—but it would also take time, and that is a concern. Fall is around the corner, and designing, recruiting, conducting trials, and manufacturing doses typically take years—unless we’re in a declared emergency.
Since the original Covid-19 vaccine trials, we have shifted to a model similar to flu vaccines: anticipate the virus mutating quickly and test a small number of people’s blood to confirm an immune response. The strain changes in the vaccine formula are minor—more like tweaking a few letters in a Word doc than changing the document’s content, length, or format. Meanwhile, real-world data from CDC continues to show that updated Covid vaccines offer additional protection, especially for those over 65.
Here’s what I don’t know: Are these just FDA talking points to the media, or will this actually become policy for fall approval? What kind of trial is being required—tens of thousands of participants? And why are Covid-19 vaccines now being treated so differently than flu?
There’s a lot we still don’t know. And until we get clarity, it’s unclear whether updated Covid vaccines will be available this fall—or if they’ll be delayed by shifting expectations and new rules.

The Vaccine Integrity Project: a new backup plan?​

There are concerns that the Secretary will politically influence or change ACIP—the external committee for vaccine policy in the United States—which means the possibility of changing eligibility or access to vaccines. If this happens, it will be a mess. States will be on their own, insurance companies will be looking for third-party validation, and there would be a whole lot of confusion.
So, a shadow group was stood up University of Minnesota (called the Vaccine Integrity Project) backed by a philanthropic gift. This will be an eight-member committee to advise on vaccine protection, effectiveness, and recommendations outside of government.
What does it mean for you? The Vaccine Integrity Project won’t have formal authority. However, if ACIP’s role becomes politicized, it could serve as an important alternative. It’s another sign that public health groups are mobilizing to stay ahead of potential disruptions.

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[Daisys and Diamonds]

so much info in there @missy
i will reread it tomorrow
the measles stats makes me so sad
its so preventable

 

[Lookinagain]

The Vaccine Integrity Project won’t have formal authority. However, if ACIP’s role becomes politicized, it could serve as an important alternative. It’s another sign that public health groups are mobilizing to stay ahead of potential disruptions.

I've been wondering if there would be any private movement on vaccines considering what is going on at HHS. I also haven't heard any update on the flu shot (but I haven't read every article that you have posted @missy). I know that the usually held meeting in Feb. or March was cancelled, but haven't heard much else.

 

[missy]

The Vaccine Integrity Project won’t have formal authority. However, if ACIP’s role becomes politicized, it could serve as an important alternative. It’s another sign that public health groups are mobilizing to stay ahead of potential disruptions.

I've been wondering if there would be any private movement on vaccines considering what is going on at HHS. I also haven't heard any update on the flu shot (but I haven't read every article that you have posted @missy). I know that the usually held meeting in Feb. or March was cancelled, but haven't heard much else.

Yes they canceled the meeting but insist it won't affect the influenza vaccine of 2025-2026 so we shall see

Do you know that quote..."when you mix science and politics you just get politics"
There have been many similar struggles during the past couple of decades as far as I can remember and with social media spreading so much misinformation people start becoming mistrustful of the medical community and that can hurt everyone.

 

[missy]

A few vaccine and other miscellaneous updates you might find of interest

Minnesota Bill Against Vaccines Promotes Disinformation

A bill introduced in Minnesota highlights the dilemma of explaining vaccine technology to patients and the general public.

www.medscape.com

Minnesota Bill Against Vaccines Promotes Disinformation​

Heidi Splete

"
A bill introduced in Minnesota attempts to criminalize vaccine technology that has been proven safe and effective, and infectious disease experts are baffled.

They have introduced a bill that would target specific vaccines and medical treatments for criminal punishment

The bill, HF 3219, is described as the “mRNA Bioweapons Prohibition Act” and references “mRNA injections and products designated as weapons of mass destruction” and “mRNA injections and products prohibited,” according to the website of the Minnesota Legislature.

According to the news report describing the bill, its authors, in order to get attention, seem to be tossing in trigger words, such as “nanoparticle injections” and “weapons of mass destruction,” that are not applicable in the context of vaccines, said David J. Cennimo, MD, associate professor of medicine and pediatrics in the division of infectious disease at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, in an interview.

“The COVID-19 vaccines have excellent track records in safety and effectiveness, which is widely known,” he said.


Part of the language of the bill’s introduction that Cennimo found particularly disturbing refers to “nanotechnology or nanoparticles that alter genes and create a biosynthetic cell replication.” This statement is overbroad and not grounded in science, Cennimo emphasized. “Nanoparticles can be very useful in protecting the vaccine delivery and enhancing immune recognition which allows for lower doses to achieve high efficacy,” he said.

“The bill seems to ban an entire technology field, with no proven concerns, which would potentially limit or end groundbreaking therapeutics,” said Cennimo. In fact, mRNA vaccines, and RNA in general, work outside of the nucleus, he said. “The vaccines encode a protein which is made by the cell to stimulate an immune response,” he said. This process cannot “alter genes” as the bill’s language suggests, he added.

Furthermore, data support the overall safety of vaccines, including mRNA vaccines, Cennimo told Medscape Medical News.

“Yes, some individuals experienced a relatively mild and self-limited myocarditis, noting the risk of myocarditis form SARS CoV-2 infection remained much greater,” he said. However, no evidence suggests the morbidity or mortality of vaccines implied in the Minnesota Reformer article, he noted.

Although the Minnesota Reformer article states that the bill has no chance of progressing, its existence and the potential for introduction of similar bills in other states appears to be another way to sow fear and attempt to discredit scientific advancements, said Cennimo. “While the COVID-19 vaccines were, and remain, a technological triumph, many clinicians are looking at mRNA vaccine technology as the next big step in individualizing the cancer fight; this is what is at stake with these types of bills,” he said.

Cennimo had no financial conflicts to disclose.
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"
The U.S. is investing $500 million in a project to make "universal" vaccines that protect against multiple strains of a virus at once from chemically inactivated whole viruses, according to the Wall Street Journal. (Reuters via MSN)

Kennedy also would require all new vaccines to undergo placebo testing, The Washington Post reported.

Hospitals are preparing for the impact tariffs may have on supplies. (Axios)

Chicago public health officials confirmed two measles cases in Cook County. (U.S. News & World Report)

Up to 20,000 unionized healthcare workers plan to strike at all University of California campuses and medical centers today. (San Francisco Chronicle)

After sweeping firings, more employees in the FDA office that approves new drugs are opting to retire early

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