TRACKING EMERGING VIRUSES – August 16, 2025 – COVID
““Effective immediately, federal agencies may not use an individual’s COVID-19 vaccine status, history of noncompliance with prior COVID-19 vaccine mandates, or requests for exemptions from such mandates in any employment-related decisions, including but not limited to hiring, promotion, discipline, or termination,” Kupor wrote in the official memorandum to all heads and acting heads of federal departments and agencies.” (1)
“This fall, it may not be possible for many parents to have a healthy child under age 5 immunized against Covid.
Pfizer’s vaccine has long been available to these children under so-called emergency use authorization. But the Food and Drug Administration is considering discontinuing the authorization for that age group, according to an email sent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to state and local health departments.
Pfizer confirmed the possibility on Monday evening and said that the company was “currently in discussions with the agency on potential paths forward.” For children 5 to 11 years old, the Pfizer vaccine is expected to be approved and available, according to the C.D.C.’s email, which was reviewed by The New York Times.
In July, the F.D.A. granted full approval to Moderna’s Covid vaccine for children — but only for those who have health conditions that may put them at increased risk should they become infected. Novavax’s Covid vaccine has never been available for children under 12.
The upshot is that if the F.D.A. does not renew Pfizer’s authorization for children 6 months to 4 years, or fully approve the vaccine, healthy children in that age group will have no officially sanctioned options — although doctors may still choose to provide the vaccine “off label.”” (2)
“Vaxart (VXRT.PK) said on Wednesday it received an order to stop work on screening and enrollment for its COVID-19 mid-stage trial, joining multiple biotech companies that have lost government funding for their vaccine programs.
The drug developer said it will keep working on its oral COVID-19 vaccine by monitoring participants already in the trial, but it will stop new enrollment.
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The order is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services decision to wind down mRNA vaccine development activities under its biomedical research unit.” (3)
“The summer surge of COVID-19 doesn’t appear to be slowing down — instead, a key indicator for tracking the spread of the virus has increased, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In an update shared Friday, official data showed wastewater activity for COVID-19 is now at a “moderate” level nationwide, up from “low” the previous week.
Wastewater levels for the virus are currently the highest in the Western U.S., the data also showed. States in this region showing high levels include: Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah.
“Wastewater monitoring can detect viruses spreading from one person to another within a community earlier than clinical testing and before people who are sick go to their doctor or hospital,” the CDC notes. “If you see increased wastewater viral activity levels, it might indicate that there is a higher risk of infection.”
Other metrics are also showing increases in the illness. As of Tuesday, the CDC estimates COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 45 states, which is up from 40 states last week.” (4)
“COVID-19 levels are up 32% percent from a month ago just as schools across the Bay Area are about to start for the fall semester.
Levels of COVID-19 detected in Bay Area wastewater remain high throughout the region, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. The average amount of COVID-19 detected across the region has jumped about a third from July 8 to Aug. 3, the most recent date for which data is available.” (5)
“The rate of Massachusetts health care workers vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19 is declining, despite state officials pushing for the vast majority of providers to get their shots in order to stunt the spread of illnesses.
The Department of Public Health’s goal is to achieve an annual flu and COVID immunization rate of 90% or higher among eligible health care personnel at all licensed facilities and emergency medical services. That figure is based on a previous national target, DPH Director of Health Care Strategy and Planning Katherine Fillo told the Public Health Council Wednesday.”
““Overall, there has been a decrease in flu and COVID vaccination uptake among health care providers in Massachusetts, which is similar to the trends that are reported nationally,” Hasan said.”(6)
2.5 Million Lives Saved: The Untold Story of COVID Vaccines’ Global Impact, https://scitechdaily.com/2-5-million-lives-saved-the-untold-story-of-covid-vaccines-global-impact
1.Trump admin orders federal agencies to scrub all worker COVID vaccination records, by Josh Meyer, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/08/09/trump-covid-19-federal-workers-records/85588922007/
2.Why Young Children May Not Get Covid Shots This Fall, By Apoorva Mandavilli, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/health/covid-vaccine-young-children.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
3.US orders Vaxart to stop COVID-19 trial amid mRNA wind down, By Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-orders-vaxart-stop-covid-19-trial-amid-mrna-wind-down-2025-08-13/
4.COVID levels rising in much of U.S., with highest in West, CDC says, by Sara Moniuszko, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-wastewater-levels-rising-highest-west-cdc/
5.COVID-19 surges again in Bay Area just before school starts, By Gillian Mohney, https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/covid-wastewater-school-start-20809294.php
6.Flu, COVID-19 vaccination rates falling among health care workers, by Alison Kuznitz, https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/flu-covid-19-vaccination-rates-falling-among-health-care-workers/
curated by Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H.
Clinical Professor of Environmental Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai