vaccine

The doses are the first of 70,000 allocated for Kinshasa as experts warn of the virus’s exponential spread.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received more than 16,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine as the country faces its deadliest-ever Ebola outbreak.

The 16,250 doses arrived in the capital, Kinshasa, late on Friday evening, comprising the first of 70,000 that the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners pledged to provide on Thursday.

More doses are set to arrive next week.

Although the vaccine is approved against the Zaire strain of the virus, the Bundibugyo strain currently circulating in the country has no approved vaccine or treatment.

Early data from animal trials show it may offer some protection, according to the WHO.

Samuel Roger Kamba, the DRC’s health minister, told reporters Ervebo had been used several times in the past, including “on a very large scale” during the 2018 to 2020 outbreak.

Of the 70,000 doses intended for the DRC, 20,000 will be part of a late-stage clinical trial to test its effect on the Bundibugyo strain, the WHO said. The remainder is allocated to front-line and health workers.

The outbreak has killed more than 2,500 people out of nearly 5,300 confirmed cases, with the United Nations warning this week that infections continue to spread “exponentially”.

Although the outbreak was declared in mid-May, it is believed to have started weeks beforehand. Data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, shows that transmission has not yet peaked and could reach three times its known rate.

Efforts to contain the virus have been stymied by ongoing armed conflict, delays in identifying cases and a lack of infrastructure in eastern DRC, experts say.

Health officials in California are defending the traditional childhood vaccination schedule against efforts by the Trump administration to weaken it.

The longstanding childhood vaccine schedule is safe, California’s top health official said, and continues to be recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics — the nation’s leading group for pediatricians — as well as the other states in the West Coast Health Alliance: Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.

“They’re safe. They’re important for kids to be thriving and healthy in schools,” Dr. Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health and the state public health officer, said of vaccines. And she credited California’s robust vaccine requirements as a condition of enrollment for schoolchildren as a reason why the state so far has kept a lid on the huge outbreaks of measles seen in other parts of the nation.

Her full-throated defense comes after President Trump issued an executive order Monday recommending that the singular measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine should be separated into three and that all childhood immunizations should be given at separate visits “to the maximum extent feasible.”

“We want it in three separate vaccinations, given at separate times,” he said during the signing ceremony. “Together, there could be a possibility they’re quite lethal. And separately it looks like they are not at all lethal, but just very effective.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics blasted the order as “unscientific and dangerous,” and criticized comments made by administration officials suggesting a link between autism and vaccines — a claim that has been discredited by many studies.

“Dozens of studies involving millions of people show there is no link between vaccines and autism, and yet federal leaders continue to promote this outdated, disproven idea to scare families,” said the academy’s president, Dr. Andrew Racine.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America has been equally unequivocal.

“The MMR vaccine does not cause autism,” the group says on an online fact page, adding that the measles vaccine prevents thousands of deaths a year worldwide.

Pan said Trump’s executive order does not change vaccine requirements for schoolchildren in California. And insurance companies continue to cover vaccinations for schoolchildren.

When Trump was asked whether there was any evidence for his claims regarding the MMR vaccine, he answered: “No. What I’ve heard is that there are some people that say it is that way, and I say, ‘Well, let’s say there’s a 5% chance of it. Let’s split it up.’ ”

There is no evidence to back up those assertions, medical organizations and mainstream experts say. The first version of the combination MMR shot was approved in 1971, and versions of it have been given to hundreds of millions of children safely over several generations, with more than 90% of children receiving the shot nationally, experts say.

Combining protection against the three diseases has been considered a miracle of modern medicine. Before the vaccine era, hundreds of children a year in the U.S. were either killed by measles or suffered swelling of the brain as a result of the disease. Tens of thousands were also hospitalized each year.

Mumps can cause deafness and inflame the brain, pancreas, testicles, ovaries and breast tissue. And rubella risks causing severe birth defects in pregnant women.

“There is no data supporting doing this in separate shots,” Pan said. “And, in fact, it will take more visits and more pokes in the arm, literally, for children to do this.”

With vaccination rates declining in many parts of the country, measles has resurged in the U.S. in the past two years, resulting in the first child deaths from the disease in 22 years, as well as hundreds of pediatric hospitalizations.

So far this year, there have been 2,566 cases of measles nationwide, which is already more than the 2,289 reported in all of 2025, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most recent case count is also higher than any calendar year since 1991 — the final year of the nation’s last measles epidemic.

Beyond scheduling difficulties for parents, clinics and doctors’ offices, no company even makes separate immunizations for measles, mumps and rubella, Pan said. “There’s no scientific basis for it. There’s no current availability to do that.”

Trump’s executive order further recommends that children should get vaccinated against 11 diseases, a reduction from the 18 currently recommended by the CDC. The order also suggested that his administration would challenge certain states’ laws that require vaccination as a condition of entry into schools.

California in 2015 enacted a law that strengthened vaccine requirements for schoolchildren. The law ended the ability of parents to cite personal beliefs in seeking to exempt their children from certain vaccinations.

Children can still be exempted and attend school in California if they have a medical reason. And California law does allow parents to skip immunizations for children who are enrolled in independent study programs and do not receive classroom-based instruction.

California’s law was passed following a large measles outbreak centered at Disneyland that resulted in 131 cases in California alone, and spread to six other states, as well as Canada and Mexico. At least 12 of those infected in California were infants too young to be vaccinated.

After the law passed, California saw its measles vaccination rates improve. In 2013, the vaccination rate among California kindergartners hit a low of 92.3%, below the 95% threshold doctors say is needed to keep a lid on outbreaks. Since the law took effect, that rate has ranged between 95.1% and 97.3%.

The most recent figure was 96.1% for the 2024-25 school year.

States that have suffered large measles outbreaks have poorer vaccination rates. South Carolina, for instance, has been home to an outbreak linked to about 1,000 cases — considered one of the largest in the U.S. in more than 30 years. That state’s most recent kindergarten measles vaccination rate was 91.2%, well below the optimal 95% threshold.

There are five immunizations required as a condition of entry into kindergarten in California: polio; DTaP, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; hepatitis B; MMR; and varicella, or chickenpox.

California’s most severe measles epidemic in recent memory occurred between 1988 and 1990 — an era before health officials recommended children receive a second dose of the measles vaccine. That epidemic led to 75 deaths in California and more than 3,000 hospital admissions. A major problem officials identified at that time was that poor parents could not afford vaccinations for their children. One of the nation’s largest outbreaks in 1989 involved mostly preschool-aged children in Los Angeles.

There was also a national measles epidemic between 1989 and 1991, which, according to a study published by the CDC, led to 166 suspected measles deaths and more than 11,000 hospitalizations.

Recommendations to give children a second dose of the vaccine, and the introduction of the federal Vaccines for Children program in the 1990s to help parents pay for immunizations, were credited with driving measles circulation down to historic lows.

Doctors say that it has been striking to see the U.S. go from a place where ongoing domestic measles transmission was effectively eliminated in 2000 to being on the precipice of the disease regaining a foothold.

“We’re seeing in this country cases, hospitalizations and deaths higher than we’ve seen in over 30 years,” Pan said. “We did such a great job — we eliminated measles by the year 2000, and now we’re going backward.”

WASHINGTON — Public health experts have been quick to condemn an executive order from President Trump aimed at upending childhood vaccinations in the U.S., but the biggest obstacles may be the unprecedented financial and logistical challenges it would impose on parents, health providers and drugmakers.

Monday’s announcement by the Republican president calls for separating combination shots — including the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine — into separate injections. Appointments for that and other vaccinations should be spaced out whenever possible, the order states.

To accomplish that, drugmakers would need to revive a slate of individual vaccines that have not been marketed separately in the U.S. for decades. They would also have to build new manufacturing plants capable of producing millions more vaccine doses than the nation currently uses.

For parents, unbundling the MMR vaccine and spacing out the shots would mean returning to the doctor’s office many more times than is currently needed. Those appointments could also strain pediatricians who typically administer the shots, while driving up costs tied to syringes and other medical supplies.

Studies in the U.S. and other countries have shown that combination vaccines increase the likelihood that children will be fully protected from infectious diseases before starting school.

Health experts say there is no scientific basis for changing course.

“We do things that are less convenient and more expensive if there’s a good reason to do it,” said Dr. Anna Durbin, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “There is no good justification for this. I think it’s very bad public health policy.”

Trump’s plan would require vaccine manufacturing overhaul

Under Trump’s executive order, federal officials are instructed to develop within 90 days plans for breaking up the MMR shot and spacing out other vaccines.

But pharmaceutical scientists and former regulators say those changes would likely take years and require drugmakers to spend tens of millions of dollars on new studies and manufacturing facilities.

Currently, there are no individual vaccines in the U.S. for measles, mumps or rubella. All the vaccines approved for those viruses by the Food and Drug Administration are combination shots. That three-in-one approach has been the standard in the U.S. since the early 1970s.

Dr. Jesse Goodman, a former FDA vaccine chief, said companies would have to conduct large studies showing new individual shots produced immune system-boosting reactions in children similar to the current versions.

Companies might also have to demonstrate the safety of new manufacturing facilities and procedures, given that individual measles shots haven’t been widely produced in the U.S. for roughly a half-century.

“The question is how much has changed since then and how comfortable will the FDA and the companies be relying on those comparisons?” said Goodman, who is now a professor at Georgetown University.

Designing, constructing and getting federal sign-off for new vaccine plants typically takes about five years, according to industry experts.

Additionally, Goodman said the FDA would have to review and license each unbundled vaccine separately, a process with no precedent.

“I don’t think there’s any comparable example of removing hugely effective public health measures that protect babies for no documented scientific reason,” he said.

Individual shots for measles and related diseases tend to be used by lower-income countries that can’t afford the MMR shot. Merck, GSK and the handful of other companies that supply U.S. childhood vaccines make only the combination shot.

In separate statements, Merck and GSK said they stand by the safety and effectiveness of their products. Neither discussed plans to unbundle their shots.

“To date, there has been no published scientific evidence that shows any benefit in separating the combination MMR vaccine into three individual shots,” Merck said in an emailed statement.

Parents would need to make many more trips to the doctor

The MMR shot is currently delivered in two doses — the first at the age of 1 and the second dose after age 4. Splitting up the shot into its three separate components would mean six office visits. Spacing out other shots for pertussis and other infectious diseases could multiply the number of visits many more times.

As the number of visits goes up, parents are more likely to miss appointments or stop making them, according to Durbin.

“It’s going to be less convenient, more expensive and you’re going to have fewer people getting vaccinated,” she said.

Since last year, Trump has repeatedly expressed concern about the number of vaccinations U.S. children are receiving and called on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reduce the number. Kennedy and other officials have pointed to smaller countries, such as Denmark, that recommended slightly fewer vaccines than the U.S.

But breaking up combination shots will result in kids receiving many more individual shots than other comparable nations, Durbin notes.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said the Trump administration’s efforts on the MMR vaccine “will give parents more options on timing and frequency for their children, which ultimately will increase vaccination rates for all three diseases.”

Vaccine order is not legally binding

Despite the precedent-breaking nature of Trump’s order, some experts are skeptical it will result in meaningful changes.

Neither the White House nor the FDA can compel drugmakers to develop and seek approval for new vaccines. And from a business perspective, companies have little incentive to develop individual versions of vaccines they already sell in combination shots.

“They’d be competing against themselves, and there’s no reason to do that,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia vaccine researcher and former government adviser.

While Trump’s order calls for more federal research and recommendations, only state governments have the legal authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. The order simply advises states to consider updating their laws to reflect the Trump administration’s approach.

“I think states will ignore this,” Offit said. “I think that bottom line is that we don’t need to look to Donald Trump for our medical advice.”

Perrone writes for the Associated Press. AP videojournalist Mary Conlon in New York contributed to this report.

Decision follows long-running feud between Trump and UN group.

The United States has announced the release of $600m for Gavi, as it cut off the World Health Organization (WHO) from the global vaccine alliance, in a major financial blow to the United Nations group.

In a joint statement, the US Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services said: “The United States also reaffirms that it will not provide US Government funding to the World Health Organization through Gavi.”

The development, said the statement, is in line with US President Donald Trump’s instructions to “Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to negotiate reforms with Gavi as a condition for renewed US support”.

US Republican Senator Susan Collins, who had pushed for the reinstatement of US funding for the global programme which expands access to immunisations around the world, welcomed the decision.

According to the State Department, Gavi agreed to work towards replacing mercury-containing vaccines with mercury-free alternatives, in partnership with its board and partner countries.

The Trump administration’s latest move against the WHO comes after historical animosity.

In 2020, Trump instructed his administration to temporarily halt funding to the WHO over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, claiming the WHO promoted China’s “disinformation” about the virus, likely leading to a wider outbreak.

At the time, the US was the biggest donor to the WHO, contributing more than $400m in 2019, roughly 15 percent of its budget.

In January 2021, then-US President Joe Biden reversed Trump’s decisions, restoring US funding and halting the withdrawal process from the WHO.

However, on the first day of his second term, January 20, 2025, Trump said the US would withdraw from the WHO and suspended US contributions.

Experts have said the orders appear to be about ideological rather than strategic positioning.

The WHO is funded by a combination of core operating funds that each member state pays, and voluntary contributions from various partners.

At about $3.4bn, the WHO’s budget is roughly a third of that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which got $9.3bn in core funding in 2023.

The WHO funds support programmes to prevent and treat polio, tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, measles and other diseases, especially in countries that struggle to provide healthcare domestically.

It also responds to health emergencies in conflict zones, including parts of Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and others.

21 cases of the viral disease have been confirmed in the UK

People that are eligible for the Mpox vaccine in Northern Ireland are being urged to step forward before the summer holidays as 21 cases of the viral disease, formerly known as monkeypox, have been confirmed by the Public Health Agency in the last three weeks.

This is a significant rise as, according to the BBC, only nine cases of Mpox had been reported in Northern Ireland since 2023. The Public Health Agency is asking people to learn the symptoms, be vigilant about the signs and get vaccinated but not everyone will be eligible for the vaccine.

The main symptoms the Public Health Agency is urging people to keep an eye out for include rashes with blisters, aches, fever and swollen glands that can last for up to three weeks.

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According to the NHS, the first symptoms of mpox include:

• a high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery
• a headache
• muscle aches
• backache
• swollen glands
• shivering (chills)
• exhaustion
• joint pain

The telltale sign of mpox is a distinctive rash which usually appears one to five days after the other symptoms. It can appear on any part of the body including the hands, soles of the feet, mouth or genitals.

The rash is sometimes mistaken for chickenpox. It starts with small raised spots that turn into ulcers or small blisters filled with fluid, the blister eventually forms a scab that later falls off.

Dr Rachel Coyle, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “We want to remind those who are eligible to get vaccinated. Vaccination is available for those eligible in Northern Ireland through sexual health clinics, also known as genitourinary medicine or GUM clinics.

“While anyone can catch mpox, the majority of mpox cases in the UK are in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).

“Therefore, those eligible for the vaccine include gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men who have multiple sexual partners, and those who participate in group sex or attend sex on premises venues. Staff who work in these premises are also eligible.

“If you think you may be eligible and have not yet received your first dose or completed the course of two vaccines, contact your local GUM clinic and enquire about getting the vaccine.”

Mpox is passed from one person to another through any close physical contact with mpox rash, blisters or scabs. This can include during sexual contact or other skin-to-skin contact.

It can also be passed through contaminated surfaces like bedding or towels and through the coughs and sneezes of a person that has mpox if they are close enough to you.

Mpox is usually mild and can get better in a few weeks even without treatment. However, while you have symptoms you can pass on the virus to other people and some may be more vulnerable to more severe symptoms. This includes older people, young children and anyone taking medication that affects their immune system.

June 10 (UPI) — The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released its recommended maternal vaccine schedule Wednesday, breaking for the first time on advice from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The group advises four vaccines during pregnancy, including a COVID-19 shot; a flu shot; a tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine; and a vaccine that protects the fetus against respiratory syncytial virus, commonly called RSV.

“Changing national recommendations coupled with rampant vaccine misinformation are resulting in confusion for both patients and healthcare professionals,” Camille Clare, ACOG president, said in a statement.”It is incredibly important for the public to have access to reliable,evidence-based information on maternal immunizations from a trusted source.”

The schedule also includes additional vaccines for those with certain risk factors and for those postpartum and breastfeeding. Thirteen other medical societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Nurse-Midwives, endorsed the list.

The CDC, under the leadership of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, changed its recommended maternal vaccine schedule last year, removing the flu and COVID-19 shots, The Hill reported.

In changing the schedule in 2025, the CDC did not its usual process of using a panel of vaccine experts to review studies and make advice. The American Academy of Pediatrics and some U.S. states have also broken with the new CDC guidelines.

“Immunization is an essential part of preventative care forpeople who are pregnant, postpartum and lactating — and for their infants,” ACOG said in its recommendations. “OB-GYNs can reduce the frequency of vaccine-preventable diseases by being aware of current vaccine recommendations, counseling patients to receive appropriate vaccines and integrating vaccination into routine clinical practice.”

Spain is the most popular destination for UK holidaymakers

Anyone planning a trip to Spain should act eight weeks before travelling, according to the latest Foreign Office advice.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides advice for travel to more than 220 countries and territories across the globe, covering everything from entry requirements and safety risks to health precautions and regulations. The FCDO recommends that those heading to Spain check the most up-to-date vaccination advice at least eight weeks before they set off, and find out where to get their vaccines and whether any fees apply.

Holidaymakers are directed to the Spain page on the TravelHealthPro website, which states: “Travellers [to Spain] should be up to date with routine vaccination courses and boosters as recommended in the UK. These vaccinations include for example measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccine.”

It’s worth noting, however, that there are no certificate requirements for entry into Spain. Those visiting Spain are also urged to ensure their tetanus jabs are up-to-date.

TravelHealthPro guidance adds: “Travellers should thoroughly clean all wounds and seek medical attention for injuries such as animal bites/scratches, burns or wounds contaminated with soil.” TravelHealthPro also recommends that all holidaymakers make sure they have sufficient travel insurance.

It adds: “If visiting European Union (EU) countries, carry an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) as this will allow access to state-provided healthcare in some countries at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free.

“The EHIC or GHIC, however, is not an alternative to travel insurance.”