Category: vaccination

MIL-Evening Report: What’s the difference between food poisoning and gastro? A gut expert explains

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and Clinical Academic Gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University

Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

If you’ve got a dodgy tummy, diarrhoea and have been vomiting, it’s easy to blame a “tummy bug” or “off food”.

But which is it? Gastro or food poisoning?

What’s the difference anyway?

What’s gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis, or gastro for short, is a gut infection caused by a virus, bacterium or other microbe.

The gut is teeming with cells including healthy microbes and the cells lining the gut. But when viruses, bacteria and other microbes start to invade your gut, they colonise, build up in large numbers and eventually cause the cells lining the gut to inflame. The “-itis” at the end of gastroenteritis means inflammation.

Gastroenteritis is extremely common. In Australia there are an estimated 17.2 million cases a year.

So where do these gastro-causing microbes come from? Eating contaminated food is often the source.

However you can acquire these microbes in other ways. For example, if you touch a surface where someone sick from viral gastroenteritis had vomited on, that virus could transfer to your hands. And if your hands touched your mouth, you in turn could contract viral gastroenteritis.

What’s food poisoning?

Food poisoning refers to getting sick from eating food contaminated with chemicals, microbes or toxins.

For example if you ate food contaminated with insecticides or methyl alcohol (methanol) that would count as food poisoning. If you ate puffer fish or poisonous mushrooms that would count too. But food poisoning doesn’t include the effects of eating a food you’re allergic to.

The vast majority of food poisonings are as a result of food contaminated by microbes and their toxins. When you eat or drink them it’s like a missile strike. The toxins in particular can rapidly cause inflammation and damage the lining of the gut.

To add to the confusion, food poisoning is often referred to as foodborne gastroenteritis.

Food poisoning (or foodborne gastroenteritis) is also common in Australia. It accounts for about one-third of all cases of gastroenteritis or an estimated 5.4 million cases every year.

How can we tell the two apart?

Both gastroenteritis and food poisoning have symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps, fever and headaches. But these symptoms can come on in different ways.

Viral gastroenteritis, such as with norovirus, usually causes symptoms 24–48 hours after exposure, which can last for one to two days.

But food poisoning after eating microbial toxins can come on very quickly. For example, toxins from the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus can cause symptoms within 30 minutes of eating contaminated food, such as undercooked meat. Fortunately, symptoms usually get better within 24 hours.

Symptoms don’t always come on so quickly in all cases of bacterial food poisoning. For example, it can take as long as 70 days between exposure to Listeria and symptoms occurring, although, on average it’s about three weeks. This long incubation period can make it difficult to work out if a particular food is responsible for someone getting sick.

As a general guide food poisoning occurs quite quickly (within hours of eating contaminated food) while gastroenteritis can take a day or more after eating to get sick. But there is no hard and fast rule.

It can take weeks from eating soft cheese contaminated with Listeria before you have symptoms.
In Green/Shutterstock

How do I prevent them?

The same precautions when handling food apply to preventing both gastroenteritis and food poisoning. These steps not only lower your risk of being affected in the first place, they lower your risk of you infecting others.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing food. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods to help avoid cross-contamination. Cook food thoroughly and store it at safe temperatures.

Gastroenteritis can involve transmission of microbes through means other than food, for instance, via poo on your hands if you don’t wash your hands after using the toilet or after changing a child’s nappy. So wash your hands afterwards.

To prevent others from becoming sick, make sure you quickly disinfect contaminated surfaces thoroughly after someone vomits or has diarrhoea. First, put on gloves and wash surfaces with hot water and a detergent. Then disinfect using household bleach containing 0.1% hypochlorite.

How can I get better?

Treating both gastroenteritis and food poisoning focuses on preventing dehydration and relieving symptoms.

To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of fluids. For moderate or severe cases, you can buy commercial oral rehydration solution from a pharmacy.

You can also make your own oral rehydration solution by adding 6 teaspoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate to a litre of water. You can splash in some cordial for taste.

If symptoms are severe or persist you should see your GP or go to the emergency department.

Read more:
Got gastro? Here’s why eating bananas helps but drinking flat lemonade might not

Vincent Ho does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. What’s the difference between food poisoning and gastro? A gut expert explains – https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-food-poisoning-and-gastro-a-gut-expert-explains-252730

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 18, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Innovative Welsh exporter puts Britain at the forefront of global immunisation efforts
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Innovative Welsh exporter puts Britain at the forefront of global immunisation efforts

UK Export Finance supports renewable energy tech company Dulas to deliver life-saving vaccine refrigerators to over 80 countries worldwide.
Government backing helps secure British manufacturing jobs and strengthen UK’s position in global health innovation

A Welsh renewable energy company is helping to protect millions of people against preventable diseases in developing countries with backing from UK Export Finance (UKEF) – the government’s export credit agency – and HSBC UK.

The Machynlleth-based company developed the world’s first mass-produced solar-powered vaccine refrigerator in 1982. Since then, its pioneering technology has supported vital immunisation efforts for some of the hardest-to-reach communities in over 80 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

In 2022, following the challenges of the Covid pandemic, Dulas approached Stephen Wilson, UKEF’s Export Finance Manager for Wales. Through Wilson’s assistance, HSBC UK provided a £600,000 finance package backed by UKEF’s General Export Facility (GEF). This finance enabled the Welsh company to future-proof its operations and maintain consistent production capabilities.

Since that first financial package, the successful partnership between Dulas, UKEF and HSBC UK has been reviewed and renewed annually, with new facilities for £600,000 in 2023 and £800,000 in 2024. This has enabled the company to provide critical equipment to even more immunisation programmes across the world.

The company has grown to employ around 100 staff at its headquarters in Mid Wales, its branch office in Inverness (Scotland) and its manufacturing facility in Bognor Regis (West Sussex).

Gareth Thomas, Minister for Exports, said:

We’re committed to removing barriers to trade and helping more businesses of all sizes across the country reach new overseas markets.

I’m delighted to see Dulas expanding production of their world-leading technology thanks to government support.

Jo Stephens, Secretary of State for Wales, said:

Dulas is a fantastic success story and demonstrates how Welsh expertise can lead to a brilliant UK-wide and global operation.

I’m delighted to see UK Export Finance supporting a Welsh business that is not only driving our economy forward but also contributing to international goals in health and renewable energy.

As the only UK manufacturer of vaccine fridges certified with the World Health Organisation’s Performance, Quality and Safety standard (PQS), Dulas’s cold chain products can be confidently deployed by UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations across programmes worldwide. Research and development support from the Welsh Government has helped Dulas to enhance its product portfolio and meet the stringent PQS accreditation.

Tim Reid, CEO at UK Export Finance, said:

Dulas exemplifies the best of British innovation – combining renewable energy expertise with life-saving healthcare technology.

Their story provides a fantastic example how UK Export Finance can help our businesses supply vital equipment across the globe, while supporting quality manufacturing jobs at home.

Ruth Chapman, Executive Managing Director at Dulas, said:

The GEF facility has been an invaluable tool for our export business, supporting us to manage our business in a challenging, but very rewarding, sector.

We are very proud to manufacture our products within the UK and to contribute towards global efforts to eradicate common childhood illnesses, and international humanitarian efforts.

Orders for Dulas’s vaccine fridges often follow unpredictable situations such as conflict or natural disasters. Although buyers may request a high number of units – ranging last year between 100 to 300 per order – the frequency of orders can fluctuate significantly. UKEF’s support has enabled Dulas to smooth out the peaks and troughs between production and demand, ensuring cash flow and consistent factory operations.

Lyndsey Connor, Relationship Director, Corporate Banking at HSBC UK, said:

At HSBC UK, we’re committed to supporting innovative businesses as they expand into global markets. Dulas exemplifies the type of forward-thinking company that drives sustainable economic growth and creates skilled jobs in Wales and elsewhere in the UK.

Working alongside UKEF, we’ve been able to provide a financing solution that addresses Dulas’ unique business cycle challenges.

Contact

Media enquiries:

Email newsdesk@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

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Published 18 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 18, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 17 June 2025 WHO response to challenging cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Source: World Health Organisation

On 5 May 2025, the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene, and Social Welfare of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a cholera outbreak, following laboratory confirmation of cases in multiple provinces of the country.

^{A team of WHO experts visits the Cholera Treatment Unit in Buhimba, located in the Goma Health Zone. The visit reflects WHO’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the cholera response in conflict-affected regions of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku}

From 1 January to 8 June 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 29 392 suspected cholera cases and 620 deaths. The mortality rate of 2% was an indication of gaps in reaching cholera patients with early and adequate treatment. The provinces of Tanganyika, Haut-Katanga, Sud-Kivu, Maniema, and Tshopo are among the most affected. Severe flooding in eastern provinces and high population mobility along the Congo River are accelerating the spread of the disease, while ongoing humanitarian crises and other outbreaks, such as mpox and measles, are straining national health capacities.

In response to the cholera outbreak, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with support from WHO and other partners, activated the Incident Management System to lead and coordinate the national response. The primary objective of the response is to interrupt transmission and reduce cholera deaths. Rapid response teams have been deployed to affected areas to support local health authorities with case detection and investigation, clinical management, water and sanitation activities, and laboratory diagnosis.

^{The WHO team delivers treatment kits to the Buhimba Cholera Treatment Unit in Goma Health Zone, supporting the ongoing response to the cholera outbreak. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku}

To support the national outbreak response, WHO is mobilizing resources for the most affected. This includes the deployment of emergency inter-agency kits to treat over 10 000 people, supplemented by eight cholera kits for the treatment of an additional 800 patients in North Kivu province. WHO also deployed cholera supplies in Kinshasa, Haut Katanga, Tanganyika, South Kivu, Kongo central, Tshopo and Maniema Provinces. These efforts are further strengthened by targeted interventions, including the provision of emergency beds to health facilities in Kinshasa (Pakadjuma) and Kongo Central, as well as the provision of free medical care in Muanda.

^{Ms Joyce Kabugho, manager of the Buhimba Cholera Treatment Unit, joins the WHO team during a visit to the CTU in Goma Health Zone to assess ongoing response efforts. Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku}

In North Kivu, WHO has delivered treatment kits to Buhimba Cholera Treatment Unit (CTU) in the Goma Health Zone and Mugunga CTU in the Karisimbi Health Zone. Field teams, including risk communication and community engagement specialists, have conducted assessments to evaluate and strengthen the capacity of cholera facilities to provide timely and effective patient care.

^{A mother tends to her child receiving care for cholera at the Mugunga Cholera Treatment Unit in Karisimbi Health Zone. WHO extends its gratitude to UNCERF for the vital support in the fight against cholera in North Kivu. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku}

“Despite the observed decrease in cases in some areas, the cholera situation in North Kivu remains deeply concerning here. Response efforts are severely hindered by ongoing insecurity, which restricts access to the most vulnerable populations”, said Ms Joyce Kabugho, manager of the Buhimba CTU in North Kivu.

^{Elvis Mulamba from WHO’s Risk Communication and Community Engagement team raises awareness among female vendors in the Shasha area, in Kirotshe health zone, promoting hygiene and handwashing practices as part of the cholera outbreak response. Credit: WHO}

Ntakakubwine Eugénie, 52, mother of 10, is more than a Community Outreach Worker. For 10 years, she has been a trusted figure, a reference point, and a guardian of public health in the Mabanga area, in the Goma Health Zone. She works at the Community Oral Rehydration Point at the Alleluia Buhimba Health Center. Every day, her home becomes a relief centre.

WHO is also strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene, and Social Welfare by deploying 7275 community health workers (CHWs) across 13 provinces, including Kinshasa, for an initial period of three months. These CHWs play a critical role in community engagement by raising awareness about cholera prevention, distributing oral rehydration salts (ORS), and facilitating timely access to treatment for affected individuals.

^{A young girl prepares to collect water from Lake Kivu – an essential daily task that carries hidden danger. In North Kivu, where conflict continues to displace communities, unsafe water sources like this remain a major driver of cholera transmission. WHO warns that without access to clean water, the most vulnerable continue to face life-threatening risks. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku}

Across North Kivu and other affected zones, deteriorating WASH conditions – exacerbated by recent armed clashes and population displacement – are increasing the risk of cholera spread.

^{WHO’s Risk Communication and Community Engagement team raises awareness in the Shasha area, in Kirotshe health zone, promoting hygiene and handwashing practices as part of the cholera outbreak response. Credit: WHO/ Elvis Mulamba}

The country is also set to begin a reactive oral cholera vaccination campaign targeting 11 health zones across four provinces: Haut-Katanga, Tanganyika, Maniema, and Tshopo. Nearly 3 million vaccine doses have been received from the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision, with the campaign launch date to be announced soon.

^{Dr Léopold Ouédraogo, WHO’s Multi-Crisis Response Incident Manager in North Kivu, leads a team} ^{visit to the second Cholera Treatment Unit in Mugunga, located in the Karisimbi Health Zone of Goma. The visit underscores WHO’s commitment to strengthening cholera response in conflict-affected areas. Mugunga, Karisimbi Health Zone, Goma, DRC. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku}

“WHO continues to work closely with the Ministry of Health and partners to contain the outbreak, strengthen surveillance, and ensure access to life-saving care. However, sustained international support is essential to prevent further loss of life and build long-term resilience”, says Dr Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Council adopts Budget 2025/2026 to invest in community priorities across Greater Bendigo

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

Council last night adopted the Budget 2025/2026 marking a bold step forward with substantial investment in everyday infrastructure and transformative projects, including the redevelopment of Bendigo Art Gallery.

For the first time, the Budget and the newly adopted Council Plan Mir wimbul 2025-2029 have been developed and planned together to ensure a strong alignment between strategic goals and the resources required to achieve them.

These milestone documents have been shaped through extensive community engagement that began back in late 2024.

The Budget 2025/2026 has an annual action plan to ensure efficient and sustainable delivery of services.

Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said investing in long term projects supported Greater Bendigo’s growth.

“We have some very exciting projects ahead that are vital for the region’s future economic success,” Cr Metcalf said.

“The $45M redevelopment of the Bendigo Art Gallery will reshape the region’s future.

As the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by Council, it will elevate the Gallery’s status as a cultural and economic asset for both our region and the state of Victoria. Council’s $9M investment has helped secure more than $34M in external funding, including $21M from the State Government, $4M from the Gallery Board and more than $9M in philanthropic donations – an amazing achievement.

“Funding partners are critical to major project delivery across Bendigo, including the State Government fully funding the redevelopment of the Bendigo Bowls and Croquet Clubs, and investing in the Bendigo Low Line Walking and Cycling Trail between Golden Square and White Hills.

“All three levels of government have invested in the North Bendigo Recreation Reserve stage 1 pavilion works, and the Federal Government and the City are also upgrading the Golden Square Recreation Reserve Pavilion and jointly investing in the new Heathcote Civic Precinct.

“The Budget will invest in important infrastructure used daily in the community. There are around 230 road renewals, 12 new footpaths, 14 footpath renewals, new roundabouts, tram track upgrades, bridge renewals, Waratah Road and Midland Highway intersection signalisation, playspace renewals and much more.

“Developing the Council Plan and Budget at the same time has ensured that our strategic goals are directly supported by the projects and initiatives we’re funding.

“Top priorities identified through community engagement are roads, (including public and active transport), waste management, and parks and trails. The recurring themes were for Greater Bendigo to be responsible, healthy, thriving and welcoming.

“The Budget 2025/2026 has been developed to be fiscally responsible while managing community expectations. This is a balanced approach that reflects our commitment to deliver around 60 essential community services, progress multi-year capital works, and maintain essential infrastructure used daily in the community.

“There are limited funds available and this Budget seeks to address these concerns by continuing to fund existing services wisely and prioritise works and services in a responsible manner.”

The Budget has been developed in line with the State Government’s rate cap of 3 per cent. As with previous years, Council has not applied for a variation to the rate cap as it seeks to absorb increasing costs for supplies, goods and services.

There will be no increase to waste charges for ratepayers in the new financial year.

The Budget 2025/2026 is valued at $259M, with an operating budget of $189M funding services like waste collection, street cleaning, environmental health, statutory planning, road maintenance, flood restoration works, early learning, immunisation, tourism and visitor services, and much more, and a capital works budget of $70M for new infrastructure projects across the community.

MIL OSI News –

June 17, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Targets continue to get health back on track
Source: New Zealand Government

The Government’s focus on restoring performance and accountability in the health system is delivering real outcomes for patients, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“The latest quarterly results show clear progress in putting patients first and delivering access to timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.

In the latest quarter, from January to March, key improvements include:
- Shorter emergency department stays: 74.2 per cent of patients were admitted, discharged, or transferred within six hours, up from 70.1 per cent last year.
- Childhood immunisations: 79.3 per cent of 24-month-olds fully immunised, up from 76.9 per cent last year.
- Faster cancer treatment: 84.6 per cent of patients starting treatment within 31 days, up from 83 per cent last year.
- Fewer people waiting for elective procedures: The number of patients waiting has dropped by 1,891, between January and March 2025.
“These results reflect meaningful progress for patients across the country. While there is still more work to do to shorten emergency department stays, increase childhood immunisations, and speed up access to cancer treatment, this is a step in the right direction. Restoring performance and accountability takes time, and we remain focused on continuing to deliver improvements.”

While the percentage of patients waiting longer than four months for elective procedures and first specialist assessments increased, Health New Zealand continued to deliver increased care for patients.

“In the last quarter alone, more than 48,000 elective procedures and 167,000 first specialist assessments were completed. That’s thousands of New Zealanders getting back to work, returning to everyday life, and regaining their quality of life.

“Waitlists for elective procedures have dropped, meaning fewer people are waiting for care and more patients are being seen. This marks a meaningful step toward a patient-focused health system.

“There is more work to do, which is why we are delivering the Elective Boost. Between February and May, Elective Boost has delivered over 9,500 additional elective procedures, with the majority being for patients who have been waiting longer than four months.

“Progress is also being made on first specialist assessments, with 102 per cent of planned volumes delivered in the year to March 2025. That means more patients being seen.”

Mr Brown says the Government remains committed to building on this momentum, driving further improvements, and making the system more responsive to patients.

“Backed by our record $30 billion investment into health each year, we are prioritising key services, supporting patients, and driving better outcomes.

“After years of decline, our health system is being rebuilt around patients. These improvements mean shorter stays in emergency departments, more children protected through timely immunisations, faster access to cancer treatment, and fewer people waiting for an elective procedure when every day counts.

“By measuring what matters and holding the system accountable, we are putting patients first and supporting our frontline healthcare workers to deliver access to timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
June 17, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The Australian government has launched a new strategy to boost vaccination rates. Will it work?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Kaufman, Research Fellow, Vaccine Uptake Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute

South_agency/Getty Images

Last week, the Australian government announced a new National Immunisation Strategy for 2025–30. This strategy sets out the government’s priorities for improving vaccine uptake for children, adolescents and adults over the next five years.

It comes at an important moment. Childhood vaccination coverage has been declining consistently since 2020.

So what are the key goals of this new strategy, and will it be able to reverse the drop in vaccination rates among Australian children?

Declining vaccination coverage since the pandemic

While overall vaccination coverage remains high by global standards – at 92% for one-year-olds – this is down from a high of nearly 95% in 2020. The reasons for the drop include access challenges and concerns among some parents about vaccine safety and effectiveness.

Many children are missing out on timely vaccines that prevent diseases such as whooping cough and meningitis. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, who also have lower vaccination coverage rates at one and two years old, bear a disproportionate burden of these diseases.

And it’s not just children missing out. Among adolescents, HPV coverage at age 15 has dropped by 5% in girls (down to 81%) and 7% in boys (down to 78%) since 2020.

Influenza vaccination coverage has declined year on year since 2022 and remains at very low levels. Coverage in 2024 was 62% for people aged 65 and older, and under 30% for the rest of the population.

Across six key priority areas, the new immunisation strategy seeks to reduce vaccine hesitancy and improve access to vaccinations, particularly in priority groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. A few key points stood out to us.

The National Immunisation Strategy has six key priority areas.
CC BY

1. Emphasis on trust and community engagement

We need to strengthen trust in vaccines and the people and systems that deliver them because low levels of trust are associated with vaccine scepticism and refusal. Even though Australians’ trust in childhood vaccines is generally high, there have been some bumps in recent years.

The pandemic left some people with lingering questions and misperceptions about vaccines, supercharged by misinformation and increasing political polarisation of vaccination.

The strategy rightly emphasises the need to engage with communities and build trust in vaccination and the health system.

However, relationships with communities can’t be stood up at a moment’s notice – they take time and effort to sustain. State and federal governments invested in these relationships with diverse communities during the COVID vaccine rollout, but many of these initiatives have since been dissolved due to lack of sustained funding and commitment.

Recently, there have been positive indications some governments are reinvesting in these efforts. Hopefully this strategy will encourage more to do the same.

2. Addressing equity and access

Too often government leaders and media headlines blame individual laziness or hesitancy for our uptake problems, failing to acknowledge the very real problems with service convenience and access that are also present.

The strategy makes clear that the government and immunisation service providers should make vaccination accessible and equitable. As a part of this commitment, it highlights the importance of ensuring all health-care professionals who are able to deliver vaccines are being utilised to their full potential.

Pharmacists are specifically mentioned, but there is no reference to the largest group of immunisation providers: nurses. They should be better recognised and we need reform to enable nurses to vaccinate more independently.

3. Recognising the importance of data

When vaccination rates are low, it’s essential to know why. This comes from both talking with communities and collecting robust data.

We are part of the National Vaccination Insights project, which carries out yearly monitoring using surveys and interviews with the public to better understand the drivers of vaccine uptake.

The strategy proposes a live dashboard of vaccine uptake data, which would be valuable, but we also encourage the addition of social and behavioural data. The dashboard should also report rates of vaccination in pregnancy. This information is newly available, thanks to the recent addition of a field to record pregnancy status in the Australian Immunisation Register.

4. Commitment to consider vaccine injury compensation

Maintaining trust in vaccination means being able to acknowledge when vaccines can very occasionally cause harm. People tend to be more confident in vaccines when you tell them what to expect, what the common minor side effects are, as well as the rare serious ones.

When those rare serious side effects become a reality for a handful of people, they may have to take time off work, incur medical expenses, and very occasionally, manage long-term complications. So it’s essential these people are financially compensated by government.

We had such a compensation scheme during the pandemic for COVID vaccines, but this ended in September 2024. We welcome the government’s plan to explore whether establishing a compensation scheme is feasible for all vaccines on the national program.

A comprehensive no-fault vaccine injury compensation scheme is overdue and, with thoughtful and consultative planning, would make our already robust vaccination system more trustworthy.

Where to from here?

The new national immunisation strategy is comprehensive and informed by evidence. But its impact will ultimately come down to its funding and implementation, which are not described in this document. Finalising these key plans and putting them into action must happen soon to arrest declining vaccination coverage and keep people well protected from serious diseases.

Jessica Kaufman receives funding from the NHMRC, MRFF, Australian government, Victorian government, and UNICEF. She is a member of the Collaboration on Social Science and Immunisation (COSSI).

Julie Leask receives funding from NHMRC, WHO, US CDC, NSW Ministry of Health. She received funding from Sanofi for travel to an overseas meeting in 2024.

– ref. The Australian government has launched a new strategy to boost vaccination rates. Will it work? – https://theconversation.com/the-australian-government-has-launched-a-new-strategy-to-boost-vaccination-rates-will-it-work-258808

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 16, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Putting patients first: Government to refocus health system on outcomes

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government will introduce legislation to ensure the health system is more accountable, more efficient, and focused on delivering better outcomes for patients, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“After years of bureaucracy and confusion, the health system lost its focus. The previous government scrapped health targets, centralised decision-making with no accountability, while every single health target went backwards meaning patients waiting longer for the care they need,” Mr Brown says.

“This Government is focused on delivery – getting the basics right, fixing what the previous Government broke, and ensuring New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare.”

Cabinet has approved a suite of amendments to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, designed to strengthen the performance of Health New Zealand and ensure a clearer, more accountable system.

“These changes are about improving health outcomes by making sure the system is focused on delivery, not bogged down in doing the same thing twice. That means better care for patients through a more connected, transparent, and effective health system,” Mr Brown says.

“The previous Government’s reforms created a bloated system where no one was truly accountable for delivery. We’re changing that,” Mr Brown says.

“We’re putting health targets into law so every part of the system is focused on delivering faster care, shorter wait times, higher immunisation rates, and real results.”

The current legislation is too focused on bureaucracy rather than patients, with multiple charters and plans creating confusion and fragmentation. These reforms repeal the health sector principles and health charter – cutting needless bureaucracy – while requiring each population strategy to give effect to the Government’s health targets.

Mr Brown says infrastructure delivery was one of the most serious failings under the previous Government.

“Too many builds were delayed, blown out, or never even started. We’re addressing this by establishing a dedicated infrastructure committee and embedding infrastructure as a core function of Health New Zealand. This means the board can focus on lifting system performance where it matters most: for patients.”

The Minister is also confirming changes to strengthen the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee (HMAC) and clarify the role of iwi-Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs).

“Local IMPBs will continue to engage with their communities but will now provide advice directly to HMAC. That advice will then support decisions made by the Minister and the Health NZ board.

“These changes are about one thing – putting patients back at the centre. We’re rebuilding a health system that delivers real outcomes, not just organisational charts.”

The Amendment Bill will be introduced to Parliament in the coming weeks.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Luján, Warnock and Blunt Rochester in Slamming Secretary Kennedy’s Decision to Gut Nation’s Vaccine Advisory Committee and Replace Them with Vaccine Skeptics

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

June 13, 2025

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and 17 of their Senate colleagues in condemning U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s decision to gut the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appoint several members to the committee with a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. In the letter, the lawmakers raise the alarm on the dangers of gutting the ACIP and urge Secretary Kennedy to immediately reappoint the members of the committee he fired.

“We are deeply concerned by your decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),” the Senators wrote. “This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations — the complete opposite of ‘radical transparency’ and ‘good science.’”

The Senators raised the alarm on the recent appointment of several members to the committee, “We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committee who have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science-based, and data-driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired.”

“ACIP is a longstanding, trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Members that serve on this committee must undergo extensive vetting and disclose any conflicts of interest. Firing every member of the committee just before their next meeting scheduled for June 25-27 eliminates the advisory board’s ability to debate and make well-informed recommendations, putting American lives at risk,” continued the Senators.

“We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence,” the Senators concluded.

Last week Duckworth also slammed Kennedy and HHS for announcing changes to CDC’s recommended vaccine schedule that would dramatically limit access to COVID-19 vaccines for millions of pregnant women and children, needlessly endangering their health.

In addition to Duckworth, Durbin, Luján, Warnock and Blunt Rochester, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Peter Welch (D-VT).

Read the full letter on the Senator’s website or below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

We are deeply concerned by your decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations — the complete opposite of “radical transparency” and “good science”. We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committee who have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science-based, and data-driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired.

ACIP is a longstanding, trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Members that serve on this committee must undergo extensive vetting and disclose any conflicts of interest. Firing every member of the committee just before their next meeting scheduled for June 25-27 eliminates the advisory board’s ability to debate and make well-informed recommendations, putting American lives at risk. This reckless move is also happening as our nation faces the largest measles outbreak in over 30 years.

This decision appears to be a deliberate effort to repopulate the committee with anti-vaccine demagogues and continue pushing vaccine misinformation to the American people. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 80 percent of parents with children under age 18 report that their children receive routine immunizations; however, a divide based on political ideology is growing. The reality is that most Americans trust the science behind vaccines — but through inaccurate information and politicization, you are eroding the trust in vaccines.

This is just one action of many that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently taken to undermine vaccine confidence in the United States. Just over two weeks ago, HHS reversed the CDC recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination. This decision was made without the consultation of ACIP or CDC, narrowing recommendations to exclude healthy pregnant people despite pregnancy increasing the risk for severe infection. Just a day later, HHS announced the termination of a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine despite warnings of a future pandemic from infectious disease doctors and public health professionals. These deliberate efforts to sow doubt in the safety and efficacy of vaccines have real consequences — people will die.

In addition to advising everyday Americans on their health decisions, ACIP recommendations also influence whether insurance will cover certain vaccines, making them accessible to insured Americans. Furthermore, ACIP determines the vaccine recommendations for the Vaccines for

Children program, which ensures underinsured and uninsured children across the nation can access vaccines at no cost. Without these recommendations, vaccines will become out of reach for far too many Americans. These actions contradict your written responses to questions for the record from the Senate Finance Committee, in which you said “yes” in response to a question about your commitment to ensure there are no financial barriers to accessing safe and effective vaccines.

Vaccines are safe and effective and have significantly reduced, and in some cases entirely eliminated, disease. With recent scientific advances in mRNA technology, vaccines are becoming easier and faster to produce in addressing today’s public health crises. It is critical that ACIP maintains its ability to develop science- and data-driven recommendations on vaccination without interference from anti-vaccine ideology.

Patient safety and transparency is at the heart of ACIP — Americans deserve the ability to make informed decisions about their health. You are stripping Americans of the freedom to choose by your recent appointments to the committee by centering anti-vaccine ideology. Therefore, we demand that you recuse your personal views on vaccines and restore the ACIP. We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence.

Sincerely,

-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

June 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: A new approach to COVID-19 immunizations
Due to changes to the federal COVID-19 vaccine procurement process earlier this year, provinces and territories are now responsible for purchasing COVID-19 vaccines for residents. Alberta’s government remains committed to ensuring Albertans who are at highest risk due to COVID-19 have access to immunizations.

Starting this fall, Albertans who are at a higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 will be able to access the vaccine through public health clinics in the province.

“In previous years, we’ve seen significant vaccine wastage. By shifting to a targeted approach and introducing pre-ordering, we aim to better align supply with demand – ensuring we remain fiscally responsible while continuing to protect those at highest risk.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services

In the 2023-24 respiratory virus season, a total of just over one million COVID-19 vaccines were wasted, or 54 per cent of Alberta’s order that year. Based on the Center for Disease Control costing estimates of $110 per vaccine dose, this means that about $135-million worth of vaccines were never used and were discarded.

Now that Alberta’s government is responsible for procuring vaccines, it’s important to better determine how many vaccines are needed to support efforts to minimize waste and control costs.

This new approach will ensure Alberta’s government is able to better determine its overall COVID-19 vaccine needs in the coming years, preventing significant waste.

In the fall, the COVID-19 vaccine program will be rolled out in four phases, beginning with the highest-risk groups and gradually expanding to include more Albertans over time.

Phase 1:

Through Phase 1, provincially funded COVD-19 vaccines will be available free of charge to residents of seniors supportive living accommodations and home care clients.

Phase 2:

Through phases two, three and four, to prevent significant waste, the COVID-19 vaccine will only be available through public health clinics. Community pharmacies will no longer be administering COVID-19 vaccines.

In Phase 2, provincially funded COVID-19 vaccines will be available free of charge for:
- Those six months and older with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems, or in congregate living accommodations.
- Albertans on social programs (i.e. AISH, income supports, and individuals experiencing homelessness)
Phase 3:

Through Phase 3, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available to all Albertans 65 years and older. Albertans in Phase 3 will be required to cover the full costs of the vaccine. Work is underway to determine what the final cost will be per vaccine.

Phase 4:

Through Phase 4, remaining COVID-19 vaccines will be available to other Albertans who will be required to pay the full costs of the vaccine.

Starting Aug. 11, eligible Albertans will be able to signal their intent to receive the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines by pre-ordering through the Alberta Vaccine Booking System. Following the pre-order, Albertans will receive a reminder notification via text message or email prompting them to book their immunization appointment in early October. When individuals book their immunization appointment for fall/winter 2025-26, they can also pre-order their vaccine for 2026-27.

It is recommended Albertans talk to their primary care provider to determine what is the best course of action for their needs.

Quick facts
- Recently, the Federal Drug Administration in the United States stopped recommending routine COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children.
- As of April 1, Alberta has taken over the responsibility for procuring and funding COVID-19 vaccines for the province.
  - Alberta will begin procuring COVID-19 vaccines annually through the National Bulk Purchasing Program.
- For the 2025-26 season, approximately 485,000 doses have been ordered to support the targeted COVID-19 immunization program.
- Based on the Center for Disease Control costing estimates of $110 per vaccine dose, the cost to taxpayers for the COVID-19 vaccine should not exceed $49 million, much of which will be offset through cost recovery in phases 3 and 4. The actual cost per dose and for the program is yet to be determined.
- Estimated budget costs for the 2025-26 season are approximately $2 million for RSV and $19 million for influenza.
Related information
- Information about COVID-19 vaccines
- Alberta Vaccine Booking System
- Public Health Clinics
MIL OSI Canada News –
June 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Reassessment of the EU’s COVID-19 vaccine authorisation in the light of long-term effectiveness and international policy developments, particularly in the United States – E-002214/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002214/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Christine Anderson (ESN)

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine[1] reviews long-term data on COVID-19 vaccinations. It concludes that repeated booster doses provide only limited added benefit for healthy adults under 65 years of age, especially those with a history of prior infection or complete primary vaccination. The study raises concerns over the reliance on non-inferiority trials and short-term immunogenicity data as the basis for vaccine approvals.

The authors focus in particular on updated mRNA vaccines, including bivalent formulations (targeting ancestral and BA.4/BA.5 variants) and monovalent XBB.1.5-based boosters. They argue that these vaccines provide only modest and short-lived protection for low-risk groups and call for more targeted vaccination strategies supported by robust clinical evidence.

1.Can the Commission clarify how the European Medicines Agency ensures that its evaluation and authorisation of updated COVID-19 vaccines – specifically bivalent and monovalent XBB.1.5-based mRNA boosters – are based on clinically meaningful outcomes, particularly in light of the study’s critique of non-inferiority trials and short-term immunogenicity data?

2.Does the Commission intend to revise its guidance on booster vaccinations to reflect growing evidence supporting more targeted, risk-based approaches?

3.In the light of the recent decision by US health authorities to remove COVID-19 vaccinations from the recommended immunisation schedule for healthy children and healthy pregnant women, does the Commission intend to consider a similar adjustment to EU-level guidance?

Submitted: 3.6.2025

[1] 20 May 2025, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsb2506929, https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMsb2506929.
Last updated: 13 June 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Demands Transparency from HHS Secretary Kennedy After Abruptly Firing Scientists from CDC’s Vaccine Safety Board

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

Warnock Demands Transparency from HHS Secretary Kennedy After Abruptly Firing Scientists from CDC’s Vaccine Safety Board

Senators Reverend Warnock, Luján, and 20 Senators pressed HHS Secretary Kennedy about the sudden firing of every member of the ACIP

The unprecedented action threatens the health of all Americans and hurts the legitimacy of the historically non-partisan board

Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led 21 Senate colleagues in demanding answers from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his sudden decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In a letter sent to Secretary Kennedy, Senators Warnock, Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and 20 other Senate colleagues stressed the importance of protecting ACIP’s longstanding reputation as a trusted national authority on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease.

“This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations – the complete opposite of ‘radical transparency’ and ‘good science’. We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committee who have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science-based, and data driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired,” the Senators said.

“This decision appears to be a deliberate effort to repopulate the committee with anti-vaccine demagogues and continue pushing vaccine misinformation to the American people. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 80 percent of parents with children under age 18 report that their children receive routine immunizations; however, a divide based on political ideology is growing. The reality is that most Americans trust the science behind vaccines – but through inaccurate information and politicization, you are eroding the trust in vaccines,” the Senators continued.

At the conclusion of the letter, the Senators pressed for greater transparency and emphasized the immediate risk Kennedy’s decision has on Americans’ public health.

“Patient safety and transparency is at the heart of ACIP – Americans deserve the ability to make informed decisions about their health. You are stripping Americans of the freedom to choose by your recent appointments to the committee by centering anti-vaccine ideology. Therefore, we demand that you recuse your personal views on vaccines and restore the ACIP. We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence,” the Senators closed.

Earlier this year, Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans. Since the CDC and its employees became a target of this administration, Senator Warnock has led several efforts defending their employment and the crucial role they play in keeping the nation safe. This includes joining them at a rally, delivering a floor speech opposing Secretary Kennedy’s nomination, demanding answers from administration nominees at Congressional hearings, and more.

In addition to Senators Warnock and Luján, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Gary Peters (D-MI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Jack Reed (D-RI).

Read the full letter HERE, and the text is below

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

We are deeply concerned by your decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations — the complete opposite of “radical transparency” and “good science”. We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committee who have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science- based, and data-driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired.

ACIP is a longstanding, trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Members that serve on this committee must undergo extensive vetting and disclose any conflicts of interest. Firing every member of the committee just before their next meeting scheduled for June 25-27 eliminates the advisory board’s ability to debate and make well-informed recommendations, putting American lives at risk. This reckless move is also happening as our nation faces the largest measles outbreak in over 30 years.

This decision appears to be a deliberate effort to repopulate the committee with anti-vaccine demagogues and continue pushing vaccine misinformation to the American people. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 80 percent of parents with children under age 18 report that their children receive routine immunizations; however, a divide based on political ideology is growing. The reality is that most Americans trust the science behind vaccines — but through inaccurate information and politicization, you are eroding the trust in vaccines.

This is just one action of many that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently taken to undermine vaccine confidence in the United States. Just over two weeks ago, HHS reversed the CDC recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination. This decision was made without the consultation of ACIP or CDC, narrowing recommendations to exclude healthy pregnant people despite pregnancy increasing the risk for severe infection. Just a day later, HHS announced the termination of a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine despite warnings of a future pandemic from infectious disease doctors and public health professionals. These deliberate efforts to sow doubt in the safety and efficacy of vaccines have real consequences — people will die.

In addition to advising everyday Americans on their health decisions, ACIP recommendations also influence whether insurance will cover certain vaccines, making them accessible to insured Americans. Furthermore, ACIP determines the vaccine recommendations for the Vaccines for Children program, which ensures underinsured and uninsured children across the nation can access vaccines at no cost. Without these recommendations, vaccines will become out of reach for far too many Americans. These actions contradict your written responses to questions for the record from the Senate Finance Committee, in which you said “yes” in response to a question about your commitment to ensure there are no financial barriers to accessing safe and effective vaccines.

Vaccines are safe and effective and have significantly reduced, and in some cases entirely eliminated, disease. With recent scientific advances in mRNA technology, vaccines are becoming easier and faster to produce in addressing today’s public health crises. It is critical that ACIP maintains its ability to develop science- and data-driven recommendations on vaccination without interference from anti-vaccine ideology.

Patient safety and transparency is at the heart of ACIP — Americans deserve the ability to make informed decisions about their health. You are stripping Americans of the freedom to choose by your recent appointments to the committee by centering anti-vaccine ideology. Therefore, we demand that you recuse your personal views on vaccines and restore the ACIP. We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Successful childhood immunisation programme delivering results
Source: New Zealand Government

A successful programme to help Māori health providers lift childhood immunisation rates will be renewed, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“The Immunising our Tamariki programme, originally launched in 2023 by Hon Dr Shane Reti, invested $50 million in Māori health providers to deliver targeted, community-based immunisation outreach. It aims to lift childhood immunisation rates for babies and children who may not be reached through traditional health channels such as GPs or pharmacies.”

“Since March 2024, the programme has delivered 41,719 scheduled childhood immunisations for children under 24 months, including 3,301 in May – the highest monthly total since it began,” Mr Brown says.

“In total, more than 132,000 vaccinations have been administered through the programme, with a record 18,555 given in April 2025 alone as part of preparations for winter – including influenza and other immunisations. It’s a clear example of how backing local health providers and frontline workers delivers better outcomes for the communities they know best.

“The Immunising our Tamariki programme focuses on reaching children and families who are yet to receive their immunisation through traditional pathways such as GP practices, particularly in communities with historically low immunisation rates.

“We know we need to significantly lift immunisation rates for Māori to meet the Government’s target of 95 per cent of children being fully immunised by 24 months of age. Targeted, localised outreach services are critical to achieving that goal.

“About 40 per cent of people immunised through the programme are also non-Māori, reflecting the essential role that community providers play in delivering low-cost, trusted health services for all New Zealanders.”

As part of the programme’s renewal to 30 June 2026, Health New Zealand will implement several changes to maximise its impact:
- All funding will go directly to frontline service delivery and qualified immunisation staff.
- Newly commissioned services must include clinical capacity to vaccinate – such as authorised vaccinators and cold chain infrastructure – so new providers can begin immunising immediately.
- Support will continue for Māori health providers to build trust and momentum in communities with high-needs, building on the groundwork laid during the COVID-19 response.
“These improvements will help deliver tens of thousands more immunisations in the year ahead, while relieving pressure on GPs and hospitals.

“One of the most important things we can do to protect children and families is to stay up to date with immunisations. This programme is a smart, targeted way of doing just that,” Mr Brown says.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Warnock, Blunt Rochester Lead Senate Push Slamming Secretary Kennedy for Decision to Gut Nation’s Vaccine Advisory Committee and Replace Them With Vaccine Skeptics

US Senate News:

Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) led a group of 19 Senate colleagues in condemning U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s decision to gut the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appoint several members to the committee with a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. In the letter, the lawmakers raise the alarm on the dangers of gutting the ACIP and urge Secretary Kennedy to immediately reappoint the members of the committee he fired.

“We are deeply concerned by your decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations — the complete opposite of ‘radical transparency’ and ‘good science,’” wrote the senators.

The senators raised the alarm on the recent appointment of several members to the committee, “We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committee who have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science-based, and data-driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired.”

“ACIP is a longstanding, trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Members that serve on this committee must undergo extensive vetting and disclose any conflicts of interest. Firing every member of the committee just before their next meeting scheduled for June 25-27 eliminates the advisory board’s ability to debate and make well-informed recommendations, putting American lives at risk,” continued the senators.

“We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence,” the senators concluded.

In addition to Senators Luján, Warnock, and Blunt Rochester, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

Read the full letter here or below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

We are deeply concerned by your decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations — the complete opposite of “radical transparency” and “good science”. We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committee who have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science-based, and data-driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired.

ACIP is a longstanding, trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Members that serve on this committee must undergo extensive vetting and disclose any conflicts of interest. Firing every member of the committee just before their next meeting scheduled for June 25-27 eliminates the advisory board’s ability to debate and make well-informed recommendations, putting American lives at risk. This reckless move is also happening as our nation faces the largest measles outbreak in over 30 years.

This decision appears to be a deliberate effort to repopulate the committee with anti-vaccine demagogues and continue pushing vaccine misinformation to the American people. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 80 percent of parents with children under age 18 report that their children receive routine immunizations; however, a divide based on political ideology is growing. The reality is that most Americans trust the science behind vaccines — but through inaccurate information and politicization, you are eroding the trust in vaccines.

This is just one action of many that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently taken to undermine vaccine confidence in the United States. Just over two weeks ago, HHS reversed the CDC recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination. This decision was made without the consultation of ACIP or CDC, narrowing recommendations to exclude healthy pregnant people despite pregnancy increasing the risk for severe infection. Just a day later, HHS announced the termination of a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine despite warnings of a future pandemic from infectious disease doctors and public health professionals. These deliberate efforts to sow doubt in the safety and efficacy of vaccines have real consequences — people will die.

In addition to advising everyday Americans on their health decisions, ACIP recommendations also influence whether insurance will cover certain vaccines, making them accessible to insured Americans. Furthermore, ACIP determines the vaccine recommendations for the Vaccines for

Children program, which ensures underinsured and uninsured children across the nation can access vaccines at no cost. Without these recommendations, vaccines will become out of reach for far too many Americans. These actions contradict your written responses to questions for the record from the Senate Finance Committee, in which you said “yes” in response to a question about your commitment to ensure there are no financial barriers to accessing safe and effective vaccines.

Vaccines are safe and effective and have significantly reduced, and in some cases entirely eliminated, disease. With recent scientific advances in mRNA technology, vaccines are becoming easier and faster to produce in addressing today’s public health crises. It is critical that ACIP maintains its ability to develop science- and data-driven recommendations on vaccination without interference from anti-vaccine ideology.

Patient safety and transparency is at the heart of ACIP — Americans deserve the ability to make informed decisions about their health. You are stripping Americans of the freedom to choose by your recent appointments to the committee by centering anti-vaccine ideology. Therefore, we demand that you recuse your personal views on vaccines and restore the ACIP. We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence.

Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Former ACIP Member from WA State Raise Alarm Over Purge of Entire CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

NEW: Kennedy’s new CDC panel includes members who have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation

***WATCH FULL PRESS CONFERENCE HERE; DOWNLOAD HERE***

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s unprecedented decision on Monday to fire every single member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Dr. Helen Chu joined Senator Murray for the press conference, a professor of Medicine and Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who was a member of ACIP until Monday—when she was fired by Secretary Kennedy alongside the entire panel of experts. Senator Murray and Dr. Chu laid out just how unprecedented and unthinkably dangerous this move is, and what it means for the future of vaccine policy and public health.

On Wednesday, RFK Jr. announced eight new appointees to ACIP, including Dr. Robert Malone, a close adviser to RFK Jr. who downplayed the deaths related to one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in years, and Vicky Pebsworth, who is listed as a board member and volunteer director for the National Vaccine Information Center, a group that is notorious for spreading vaccine misinformation.

“RFK Jr. took a dangerous, practically unthinkable step to undermine public health and vaccine confidence—he fired every single member of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel,” said Senator Murray on today’s press call. “And he is already packing the panel with people who advocated letting COVID rip through communities, who serve as board members of vaccine disinformation groups, who promoted conspiracies and quack treatments for COVID and measles—and he is just getting started! It is really just about impossible to underscore how reckless and unprecedented this is. I mean, even some Republicans who voted for him—only did so after he convinced them he wouldn’t go this far. Of course they should have known better—I even warned them! You can’t trust this guy, he has a long history of attacking science and vaccines at every turn, he’s not going to give up that crusade when you give him tremendous power to wage it. But they ignored the obvious warnings—and now here we are. Let’s be clear, RFK Jr. is not just crossing a red line for public health, he is sprinting into dangerous, uncharted territory in support of totally deranged conspiracies, and he is dragging us all along with him. He is putting our communities—and our families—in harm’s way.”

“The means by which vaccines are recommended for use in the United States is a careful, deliberate and rigorous process that has been in place for over 60 years. ACIP is widely regarded as the international gold standard for vaccine decision-making. Other countries have, in the past, considered the United States as a model to guide their own vaccine policies because they could be sure decisions were unbiased and based on evidence. But that may no longer be the case,” said Dr. Helen Chu, a professor of Medicine and Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Until Monday, Dr. Chu was also a member of ACIP until Secretary Kennedy abruptly dismissed the entire Committee this Monday. “We cannot dismantle a system that has allowed for open, evidence-based dialogue among experts, that has supported transparent, clear decision-making. We cannot replace it with a process driven by one person’s beliefs. In the absence of an independent unbiased ACIP, we can no longer trust that safe and effective vaccines will be available to us and the people around us. I worry about the health and safety of people in our country—and the future of our public health infrastructure.”

Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.

Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s dismantling of HHS and attacks on America’s public health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans’ health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

In particular, Senator Murray has been leading the charge against the Trump administration’s efforts to gut lifesaving research at NIH and pushed out nearly 5,000 NIH skilled scientists, grants administrators, and other employees at the agency. When the Trump administration attempted to illegally cap indirect cost rates at 15 percent, Senator Murray immediately and forcefully condemned the move, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in a letter decrying the proposed change, and introduced amendments to Senate Republicans’ budget resolution to reverse it, which Republicans blocked. Murray has led Congressional efforts to boost biomedical research. Previously, over her years as Chair of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray secured billions of dollars in increases for biomedical research at NIH, and during her time as Chair of the HELP Committee she established the new ARPA-H research agency as part of her PREVENT Pandemics Act to advance some of the most cutting-edge research in the field. Senator Murray was also the lead Democratic negotiator of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which delivered a major federal investment to boost NIH research, among many other investments.

Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, are below and video is HERE:

“I am here today to sound the alarm for public health, and to sound it as loud as I possibly can. Because this week, RFK Jr. took a dangerous, practically unthinkable step to undermine public health and vaccine confidence. He fired every single member of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel. Every. Single. One.

“And he is already packing the panel with people who advocated letting COVID rip through communities, who serve as board members of vaccine disinformation groups, who promoted conspiracies and quack treatments for COVID and measles—and he is just getting started! It is really just about impossible to underscore how reckless and unprecedented this is.

“I mean—even some Republicans who voted for him—only did so after he convinced them he wouldn’t go this far. Of course, they should have known better—I even warned them! You can’t trust this guy. He has a long history of attacking science and vaccines at every turn—he’s not going to give up that crusade when you give him tremendous power to wage it. But they ignored the obvious warnings. And now here we are.

“Let’s be clear, RFK Jr. is not just crossing a red line for public health, he is sprinting into dangerous, uncharted territory in support of totally deranged conspiracies, and he is dragging us all along with him! He is putting our communities and our families in harm’s way.

“Here’s what everyone needs to know. The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel has a simple, important job. Look at the data. Look at the science. And make recommendations on the vaccines FDA has approved as safe and effective.

“That work has serious repercussions. These recommendations impact public confidence and trust in our vaccines. These recommendations are trusted by health care providers as they talk to patients and discuss their personal health decisions.

“And these recommendations affect whether health plans—including Medicare and Medicaid—are required to cover vaccines at zero cost to patients or insurance companies can force Americans to foot the bill for vaccines that keep them safe or parents get guidance about which vaccines their children should receive and when.

“Guess what happens when vaccines become more expensive for patients? Guess what happens when Trump’s highest-ranking health official ignores the facts and tells people our vaccine experts can’t be trusted? Guess what happens when RFK Jr. packs the CDC advisory committee wall-to-wall with his favorite anti-science grifters and conspiracy pushers?

“Fewer people are going to get vaccinated. This is not rocket science.

“Maybe they think—because of RFK’s Jr.’s disinformation—that measles isn’t a big deal. Maybe they think—incorrectly—that it’s safer to get whooping cough than the vaccine. Maybe they just can’t afford it anymore—because the vaccine they wanted to protect their family is no longer covered by insurance.

“Whatever the reason, the result is going to be the same. Diseases we can fight—diseases we can prevent—spreading like wildfire through our communities, through our schools, through our nursing homes. Kids are going to be hospitalized, even killed, all because one conspiracy theorist thinks he knows better than qualified medical experts, and centuries of research.

“We’ve already seen an historic measles outbreak on RFK Jr.’s watch. His response to it has been a complete disaster, promoting quack cures and spreading lies about vaccines, as cases skyrocket.

“And, if RFK Jr.’s flood of disinformation is allowed to drown out real science, it’s not just going to be measles—we are going to see a full parade of horrors come raging back.

“We have to speak up. And we have to make sure we are countering nonsense with reality with facts. We have to make sure parents get the message: that vaccines are safe, effective, and lifesaving.

“And so, I am using my megaphone today, to not just raise the alarm, but to raise up the voice of an expert who knows the science of vaccines and who knows the stakes of this moment.

“I’m pleased to be joined by one of the CDC advisory members RFK Jr. is trying to silence through firing: UW’s own Dr. Helen Chu. Thank you all for joining this call today.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Kenya Bolsters Immunisation Drive as Cabinet Secretary (CS) Hon. Aden Duale Flags Off 6.2 Million Vaccine Doses to Counties

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale today flagged off 3 million doses of BCG (used to prevent tuberculosis) and 3.2 million doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) at Afya House, Nairobi, marking a major boost to Kenya’s national immunisation programme.

During the flag-off, the CS called on all county governments—through the Council of Governors (CoG) and their County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) for Health—to prioritise the collection of the vaccines from regional depots and ensure timely distribution to health facilities, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

Hon. Duale commended the government for moving with urgency to facilitate the delivery of the vaccines, describing it as a strong demonstration of Kenya’s commitment to safeguarding the health of its children.

He acknowledged immunisation partners, including UNICEF, for their rapid procurement and delivery of the vaccines, and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to minimise disruptions and sustain the country’s immunisation momentum.

Parents and Caregivers across the country are encouraged to visit local health facilities to have their children vaccinated and catch up on any missed doses.

The CS was joined by Principal Secretaries Dr. Ouma Oluga (Medical Services) and Ms. Mary Muthoni (Public Health and Professional Standards), Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, CoG CEO Ms. Mary Mwiti, and representatives from UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

– on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Media files

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MIL OSI Africa –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Vaccine to prevent gonorrhoea

Source: Scottish Government

Reducing diagnoses to address antibiotics resistance.

Thousands of cases of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea could be prevented through a new vaccine programme.

The Scottish Government is funding the programme, which will begin in August, to address increasing health inequalities and growing resistance to antibiotics treatment.

Those eligible include gay and bisexual men at highest risk of infection, those involved in selling or exchanging sex regardless of gender and those who sexual health clinic professionals assess as being at a similar risk level.

Gonorrhoea can cause significant pain and discomfort and in rare cases, life-threatening sepsis. The number of cases has been rising steadily in recent years and it is the second most common bacterial STI in Scotland. Latest figures show there were 5,999 diagnoses in 2023, a 59% increase on pre-pandemic.

Speaking at the Public Health Scotland Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Conference in Edinburgh, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said:

“This action is urgent and timely since the number of diagnoses has been high and the disease is becoming increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics.

“The science tells us that this vaccine will potentially protect thousands of people and prevent the spread of infection.

“Anything which stops people from contracting gonorrhoea in the first place can have huge benefits, including ensuring our health system remains resilient by reducing the amount of treatment needed.”

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of the Vaccination and Immunisation Division at PHS, said:

“With gonorrhoea diagnoses having increased in recent years, the offer of the 4CmenB vaccine to those at highest risk of exposure is a welcome new intervention. This vaccination programme is expected to help control and prevent the spread of gonorrhoea.

“Public Health Scotland is working with the Scottish Government and colleagues across NHS Boards to finalise plans for the roll out of this targeted vaccination offering to those at increased risk of gonorrhoea from August 2025.”

Background

Ministers accepted the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on the programme, which will be delivered by the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme led by Public Health Scotland.

The £280,000 funding is intended to cover first and second doses of 4CMenB vaccine.

The vaccine is 30-40% effective and will be offered in the clinics alongside those for HPV, hepatitis and the routine mpox vaccination programme.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: MSF tackles logistical challenges to vaccinate 500 000 people against diphtheria

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

On a quiet Tuesday evening, an ambulance pulls into Ati provincial hospital in Chad’s central Batha region. Inside are four members of a family with symptoms of diphtheria – an entirely preventable disease that has resurged across the country in recent years. Since July 2024, more than 2,700 cases have been reported, due in large part to low vaccination coverage and limited public awareness of the disease.

The mother and her three children have travelled 65 km over rough, unpaved roads to reach the hospital. In Chad, motorised transport is scarce and expensive, making a journey of this length is anything but simple. Medical staff from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are able to save the mother and two older children, but the youngest child is in a serious condition and dies a few days later.

Diphtheria is caused by a bacterium that produces a dangerous toxin. It can cause fever, respiratory distress and a swollen neck, and in severe cases can lead to organ failure and death – especially in children with pre-existing health conditions.

To help curb the epidemic and slow the spread of this disease – which was long believed to be under control in Chad – MSF has been supporting Chad’s Ministry of Public Health and Prevention by treating patients for the disease, monitoring its spread and carrying out a mass vaccination campaign to prevent more people from becoming infected. The vaccination campaign was a major logistical feat, reaching around 500,000 people across two arid regions where travel is difficult, and health centres are few and far between.

Maryam receives the diphtheria vaccine during market day in Mantcharné. She and her mother walked more than five kilometres from their village to reach the market. Chad, November 2024.

Reaching patients early

In the diphtheria treatment unit at Ati provincial hospital, 11-year-old Daoud Mahadi is slowly recovering from the disease. When his symptoms first appeared, his mother tried to treat him with traditional medicine, as there was no health centre nearby.

“We tried traditional medicine because we had no other option, but it didn’t help,” says his mother. “I watched my child grow weaker every day – he couldn’t even swallow water.” When Daoud arrived at the hospital, he was severely malnourished, weighing barely 15 kg.

The response to diphtheria in Chad comes up against a number of serious challenges, including people’s lack of knowledge about the disease, their limited access to healthcare, and the lack of treatment options.

MSF teams are also working in Moussoro hospital, in Barh-El-Gazel region, where we have been treating patients and training health workers, as well as supporting peripheral health centres to diagnose and treat people with diphtheria. Since October 2024, MSF teams in Ati and Moussoro have treated more than 1,600 patients, including 700 severe cases.

Along with our medical response, MSF has rehabilitated 20 wells across Moussoro and neighbouring Chaddra districts to improve people’s access to clean water and help prevent further outbreaks of infectious diseases.

A group of children learn about diphtheria with the MSF team, who explain how vaccination protects against disease. Alifa, Chad, November 2024.

Vaccination: a logistical feat

To address the low immunisation rates that fuelled the epidemic, MSF worked with the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention to run a mass vaccination campaign targeting 300,000 people in Batha region and 200,000 people in Barh-El-Gazel region. The campaign focused on reaching remote and isolated communities, including nomadic people, and aimed to deliver the two vaccine doses required for full protection against diphtheria.

Reaching these scattered communities was one of the biggest challenges of organising the mass vaccination campaign. With communities often located far apart, in areas without passable roads, MSF deployed around 100 motorcycles and off-road vehicles to get vaccination teams and vaccines to where they were needed.

Diphtheria vaccines must be kept at a temperature of between 2°C and 8°C.

“Transporting vaccines while maintaining the cold chain in a desert climate where temperatures can hit 45°C is an enormous challenge,” said Jean Bourges, MSF head of mission. “This was a massive deployment effort, especially in a context where health infrastructure is extremely limited, and power supplies are unreliable.”

To reach nomadic communities in Batha region and gain their trust, MSF and the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention worked with the Ministry of Livestock to implement a ‘One Health’ strategy. This integrated approach – linking human, animal and environmental health – enabled teams to build up trust with communities and vaccinate people during livestock vaccination campaigns – an initiative which significantly boosted vaccination coverage for diphtheria.

In remote areas where roads are non-existent or safety is sometimes uncertain, MSF uses motorcycles to send vaccination teams, awareness-raising officers, and the equipment needed to carry out activities. Chad, November 2024.

The need to remain vigilant

As early as 2023, we warned of a resurgence of diphtheria across West Africa. Protection against this disease depends on routine immunisation programmes, which were severely disrupted after the COVID-19 pandemic, notably due to lack of funding and loss of priority.

To prevent future outbreaks, MSF continues to advocate for stronger disease surveillance and more robust vaccination programmes.

MIL OSI NGO –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: NSW residents urged to get vaccinated as flu levels rise

Source: Australian Green Party

NSW Health is urging the community to book in now for their flu vaccine, as cases rise across the state.
The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report shows more than 3,100 people in NSW testing positive for influenza in the week ending 7 June, an increase of 10.6 per cent compared with the previous week, and following weekly increases since 10 May 2025. Most people with flu don’t have a test, so these are just a small proportion of all people who have had influenza recently.
Health Protection NSW Executive Director Dr Jeremy McAnulty said influenza is now circulating at moderate levels in the community.
“Getting the flu vaccine is quick, easy and recommended for everyone aged six months and over,” Dr McAnulty said.
“With flu on the rise and school holidays fast approaching, we are strongly encouraging people to book in for their flu vaccine now, which is widely available through pharmacists and GPs. Vaccination is the best protection against infection and severe disease.
“Influenza is a serious illness that can cause pneumonia, make chronic underlying medical conditions like diabetes, lung and heart disease much worse requiring hospital admission, and cause death.
“Complications can occur in anyone but are most likely in those at higher risk of severe illness.”
The flu vaccine is free for:

children aged six months to under five years
pregnant women
Aboriginal people aged six months and over
anyone aged 65 and over
people with serious health conditions

NSW Health also continues to remind the community there are a few simple steps they can take to protect themselves and others from respiratory illness, including:

staying up to date with their vaccinations
staying home if they’re sick and wearing a mask if they need to go out
avoiding crowded spaces and getting together in well-ventilated spaces
consider doing a rapid antigen test before visiting those more vulnerable
making a plan with their doctor if they’re at higher risk of severe illness
practicing good general hygiene, like regular handwashing.

If an illness or injury is not serious or life-threatening, we encourage the community to call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222, for 24-hour advice. A nurse will answer your call, ask some questions and connect you with the right care.

MIL OSI News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Sudan – As a measles outbreak spreads in Darfur, children are in urgent need of immunisation – MSF

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF

Port Sudan, Sudan, 12 June 2025 – For a year now, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams in Darfur have been witnessing outbreaks of measles in the four Darfur states we currently work in. While massive vaccination campaigns are finally ongoing in several locations across the region, MSF insists on the need to increase efforts to catch up on the immunisation of children who have never been vaccinated.

The first surge of measles cases observed and treated by MSF were in June 2024 in Rokero, a city in the north of the Jebel Marra Mountains in Central Darfur, where MSF teams have been running the local Ministry of Health (MoH) hospital without interruption since 2020. At the start of 2025, cases were also reported in East Jebel Marra, South Darfur and in Forbrenga, West Darfur. More recently, new surges are also being observed in Zalengei, Sortony and in Tine, East Chad – all places where MSF runs activities.

From June 2024 until the end of May 2025, more than 9,950 patients were treated for measles in health facilities run or supported by MSF in the region. Around 2,700 were complicated cases requiring hospitalisation, and 35 deaths were recorded. To manage the influx of patients, we had to expand our paediatric beds capacity in three hospitals.

One of the root causes of this situation is the region’s already low immunisation coverage. “In Forbrenga, 30% of the measles patients we are receiving are above the age of five years and only 5% of them are vaccinated. This suggests that the lack of vaccination dates back further than the recent conflict,” explains Sue Bucknell, MSF’s Deputy Head of mission in West Darfur.

“The ongoing conflict is also contributing to this outbreak, constraining the capacities of medical actors to both prevent and respond to outbreaks of contagious diseases,” adds Dr Cecilia Greco, MSF Medical coordinator for Central Darfur. “Mass population displacement has made the illness spread even faster across the region, further complicating the situation.”

Since the war broke out, constant administrative impediments and regular blockades of key supply roads have caused vaccine shortages throughout Darfur. This led to disruption in routine immunisation programmes in several locations, sometimes for months. In Sortony, for example, an internally displaced people (IDP) camp of North Darfur hosting more than 55,000 people, vaccination totally stopped from May 2024 to February 2025.

These constraints and shortages have also limited the medical actors’ capacity to roll out proper response campaigns. Last year, MSF carried out several vaccination campaigns such as in November 2024 in North Jebel Marra where 9,600 children were vaccinated. However, due to limited vaccine supplies, MSF teams were forced to reduce the target and to exclude children over five, despite clear needs. This inevitably reduced the long-term impact of these campaigns. In North Jebel Marra, while the vaccination campaign initially slowed the outbreak, cases began to rise sharply again from February.

Although mass vaccination campaigns are now happening in different parts of Darfur, negotiations and procedures have been lengthy. After MSF first raised the alarm about the multiple surges it was witnessing, it took months before the Federal MoH in Port Sudan and UNICEF released the needed vaccines from their stocks: finally enabling mass vaccination campaigns to be launched in different areas of Darfur. Last week, 55,800 children from nine months to 15 years old were therefore vaccinated in Forbrenga as part of a campaign led by the MoH and supported by MSF. 93,000 more children are set to receive the vaccine in North Jebel Marra and Sortony by the end of this week, in a similar campaign.

“Even if they represent a certain achievement, these campaigns should have happened much sooner. Many measles cases and their consequences could have been prevented” says Dr Greco. “And as much as they are needed, such reactive campaigns are only a band-aid to an open wound unless massive efforts are put in place on immunisation and prevention across Darfur, including its most remote areas.”

Bucknell highlights the threat of further outbreaks of disease unless such efforts are initiated. “Measles is not the only contagious illness currently present in Darfur with the potential to turn into outbreaks. Over the last 10 days, about 200 suspected cholera cases were brought to MSF-supported health facilities in two different Darfur states. This follows a significant cholera outbreak in Khartoum state and other parts of Sudan,” she says.

“It is essential that federal and local health authorities, UN agencies and all medical actors on the ground collaborate not only to catch up on the vaccination of all the children left behind by immunisation programmes over the years, but also to enhance their ability to respond quickly and efficiently should any other outbreaks, like cholera, start spreading over Darfur. This includes the capacity to supply vaccines in and across Sudan, without facing the same impediments anymore,” concludes Dr Greco.

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Schrier Demands Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Immediately Reinstate All Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in New Letter

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), pediatrician and member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, led 86 of her colleagues, with the support of Democratic members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, on a letter demanding that Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. upholds his oath to protect the health of the American people by immediately reinstating the seventeen members of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that were recently fired.

“Secretary Kennedy’s dangerous decision to fire all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is a direct attack on science and a threat to our public health,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “For 61 years, this integral committee of seasoned health care experts has been trusted to evaluate scientific evidence, ask questions, and ultimately make fully transparent recommendations about vaccines. But now, Secretary Kennedy is gutting that expertise and may well use this opportunity to elevate conspiracy theorists and social media influencers to these decision-making positions. As a pediatrician and a member of Congress, I am outraged that the Secretary of Health and Human Services would dismiss science and the medical community and instead welcome those with fringe healthcare ideas into the heart of our public health system. It is just plain dangerous.”

Today’s letter comes on the heels of Congresswoman Schrier introducing the Family Vaccine Protection Act that will protect the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) and remove politics from the life-saving immunization schedule.

A copy of the letter is below.

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

For over 60 years, in both Republican and Democratic Administrations, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has played a pivotal role in keeping Americans healthy and safe. As Members of Congress, we are outraged at your decision to unilaterally remove all 17 individuals from ACIP on June 9th. As Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), your duty to this country is to enhance the well-being of all Americans and this decision will cost lives. Your decision to disband the ACIP, a committee of medical and public health experts whose sole focus is to develop vaccine recommendations, completely undermines ACIP’s critical role and endangers this nation’s public health.

On June 9th, in your opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, you blame conflict of interests and a lack of curiosity as a rationale for removing this panel of experts from their roles. Your statement belies the rigorous vetting process for ACIP members, including financial disclosures and a review of their previous work on clinical trials. ACIP members must recuse themselves from votes and discussions on vaccines they are studying, or on any other vaccines manufactured by companies that fund their research. In fact, just this year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up a public, searchable database allowing transparency for any conflicts of interest for voting ACIP members dating back to 2000.

These actions upend ACIP’s thoughtful, evidence-based decision-making and will weave unfounded or disproven theories into what has traditionally been a science-based process trusted by our health care providers. Conducting immunization reviews takes months of deliberation and review of research, and your unilateral decision to abruptly end ACIP’s existing work is detrimental. It has become abundantly clear that your intent is to sow doubt and fear in the American public that will cost lives. With an ongoing measles outbreak and the decline of routine child immunizations, we will see the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases across the country. Your politicization of vaccines has made American families less safe and will return the US to an era before mass vaccination prevented millions of infections and early deaths.

We demand that you reinstate the fired 17 members to ACIP and uphold your oath to the American people.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Agriculture Minister proposes biosecurity compact to safeguard SA’s food systems

Source: South Africa News Agency

Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, has proposed the development of a National Biosecurity Compact – shared commitment between government, industry, academia, and civil society to strengthen South Africa’s preparedness and resilience against biological threats.

Speaking at the National Biosecurity Summit 2025, held at the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield Campus on Tuesday, Steenhuisen outlined the objectives of the proposed compact, which aims to coordinate national responses to animal and plant health risks.

“This compact will define baseline vaccine stock levels; clarify roles and responsibilities during outbreaks; embed data-sharing mechanisms and institutional partnerships like the Biosecurity Hub; and provide a framework for coordinated, credible, and timely responses,” Steenhuisen said.

Steenhuisen argued that the initiative is not only about defending against risk, but “it is about enabling growth.”

He said export markets require sanitary and phytosanitary compliance, and they demand evidence of control, traceability, and institutional readiness.

“Strengthening our biosecurity systems opens the door to new trade opportunities, safeguards jobs, and boosts investor confidence in South African agriculture. Biosecurity is not a “nice-to-have”, [but] it is as fundamental to national stability as clean water, reliable electricity, or functioning roads.

“When it works, farmers prosper, food remains affordable, and our exports flourish. When it fails, the consequences are steep—economically, socially, and politically. We have the tools [and] the institutions, and now, we have the momentum,” the Minister said.

The Minister also noted one of the country’s most significant structural weaknesses, vaccine production, highlighting operational backlogs and infrastructure limitations at Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) – the country’s primary vaccine producer.

“We cannot afford to repeat the failures of the past. Vaccines are not a luxury – they are the first line of defence in any biosecurity system, and we will hold OBP accountable.”

To address these challenges, the Minister announced that his office has implemented quarterly performance reviews, brought independent oversight, and is actively investigating diversification options to reduce dependence on a single supplier.

Addressing veterinarian shortage

The Minister also raised concerns about the critical shortage of veterinarians, particularly in the poultry industry and rural areas.
“Nationally, we require 400 veterinarians. We currently have around 70 in the public system,” the Minister said.

To close this gap, he said the department is expanding vet training posts, creating rural internships opportunities, and building regional partnerships.

“Through the Biosecurity Hub, we are also mapping career pathways to attract a new generation of animal health professionals.”

Biosecurity Hub at Innovation Africa

Launched in October 2022, the Biosecurity Hub is a joint initiative between the Department of Agriculture, then Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and Department of Science Technology and Innovation.

The hub is an innovative platform designed to foster collaboration, enhance information sharing, and strengthen our collective capacity to respond to biological threats, not only for South Africa, but potentially across the continent.

It is a strategic outcome aligned with the overarching objectives of the Agricultural Agro-Processing Masterplan (AAPM) and the Decadal Plan. Both these national frameworks emphasise the importance of safeguarding agricultural value chains, promoting sustainable, trade, agro-processing, and ensuring food security utilising also biotechnologically advanced practices. – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Leads New Bill to Block RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Agenda
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

Legislation Would Take Politics Out of Medicine and Hold Reckless Leaders Accountable
Today, Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA) introduced the Family Vaccine Protection Act to remove politics from the life-saving immunization schedule, hold Trump Administration officials accountable, and protect children and expectant mothers from vaccine-preventable diseases.

“Secretary Kennedy is governing by conspiracy theory and putting the health of our children at risk,” said Pallone. “After just a few months in office, he’s already broken the promise he made during his Senate confirmation hearing to not interfere with the lifesaving childhood vaccine schedule. He’s simultaneously presided over the largest measles outbreak in decades while actively undermining vaccination efforts for COVID-19, measles, polio, and the flu—especially for pregnant women and the tiniest infants, two of the highest risk populations. Enough is enough—it’s time to take politics out of medicine and ensure all families have access to affordable life-saving vaccines. Dr. Schrier and I are introducing this legislation to keep Secretary Kennedy’s conspiracy theories out of the doctor’s office and to protect moms and their kids.”

“Our current Secretary of Health and Human Services continues to undermine science and peddle conspiracy theories. This nation’s physicians and public health system have relied upon the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) for 61 years to evaluate scientific evidence, ask questions, and ultimately make a determination about whether to recommend a vaccine and for whom. This bill ensures that physicians and other scientific experts are the ones who evaluate those studies and make those decisions, as has always been the case. Recent efforts to undermine the ACIP by pressuring physicians like Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos to parrot RFK, Jr. talking points have unfortunately made this bill necessary,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “I will continue to stand up for scientific integrity and fight RFK Jr. ‘s peddling of conspiracy theories.”

The Family Vaccine Protection Act comes on the heels of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ’s unilateral withdrawal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women. This reckless decision—circumventing science-based approval—begins a slippery slope toward a sicker America where Kennedy alone decides what’s best for American children.

For months, RFK, Jr. ’s HHS and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have ignored science-based recommendations by the independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In April, ACIP voted unanimously to expand its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine recommendation and to provide a meningococcal vaccine to healthy teens and college-aged kids—but Kennedy ignored these recommendations. These actions are setting a dangerous precedent and jeopardizing access through critical programs like the Vaccines for Children program.

Secretary Kennedy is actively backtracking on his own promise in November 2024 that he wouldn’t “take away anybody’s vaccines” and contradicting his own Food and Drug Administration’s framework. His brazen undermining of ACIP’s independence and persistent spreading of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories threatens decades of public health progress—and will put the lives of pregnant women and unvaccinated infants at risk.

The Family Vaccine Protection Act protects access to affordable vaccines by:

Codifying current practices of a rigorous, science-based system for recommending vaccines:
- This bill sets a timeline for new vaccine consideration by ACIP and requires that both the CDC Director and HHS Secretary adopt such recommendations if supported by a preponderance of scientific evidence.
Strengthening the independence of the Advisory Committee:
- This bill writes the role of ACIP into statute and specifies its structure, its membership selection processes, meeting frequency, and expertise requirements—protecting it from dissolution or undue interference by the HHS Secretary.
Keeping politics out of medicine by ensuring the Secretary cannot unilaterally make or withdraw vaccine recommendations contrary to the advice of scientific experts:
- This bill requires the HHS Secretary to adopt the official vaccine decision as set by ACIP—and if the Secretary chooses to depart from an ACIP recommendation, it requires the Secretary to publish the basis for the agency action, including an explanation as to how the action is supported by the best available, peer-reviewed scientific evidence.
Establishing guardrails to ensure vaccines remain accessible to all:
- This bill protects the role of ACIP in making immunization recommendations for the Vaccines for Children Program as well as for the purposes of cost-free coverage of vaccines by health insurance plans—ensuring continued widespread access to life-saving vaccines.
The Family Vaccine Protection Act has received the support of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Public Health Association, American College of Physicians, Infectious Disease Society of America, and Vaccinate Your Family.

Read the full bill text HERE and a section-by-section summary HERE.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: SPbPU students received support from the Rosmolodezh grant competition

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

The results of the first season of the Rosmolodezh.Grants grant competition have been summed up. Students of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University became winners with five projects, receiving funding for a total of 2.5 million rubles.

The All-Russian competition of youth projects “Rosmolodezh.Grants” is held by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and is aimed at supporting initiatives implemented by citizens of the Russian Federation aged 14 to 35. The winners of the first season of the competition in 2025 were five students of SPbPU. The projects cover a wide range of areas: from environmental education and engineering training to scientific volunteering, educational forums and socio-cultural initiatives.

Alexandra Kuznetsova — project “Educational module on designing and constructing a geodome from recycled polymers”

The project will include an educational course on separate waste collection and recycling in the Polytech Tower. The plastic recycling equipment, which the students assembled themselves, can be used to make various products from recycled polymers. Usually, these are souvenirs, but the project team has set an ambitious goal: to assemble a geodome from recycled plastic, which will be an addition to the Tower’s summer space next year. The project introduces plastic recycling processes in a visual and interactive form using compact equipment similar to industrial equipment. This creates a logical chain from packaging submitted for recycling to the finished product.

Anna Melnichuk and the PCPS student club – the project “Autumn school “SPARK””

The initiative of the PCPS (Polytechnic Club of Physical Students) club is an educational project aimed at 1st-2nd year students of physical and technical fields. The SPARK school is dedicated to the topic of building a career path in science. The event will include lectures and master classes from invited speakers – scientists from the Polytechnic University and other scientific institutions. They will talk about their own path in science, share practical advice, and also conduct classes on developing soft skills: writing a resume, a motivation letter, a scientific article, finding a scientific supervisor and other important aspects of a scientific career.

Tatyana Tkachuk — the project “Forum of Case Clubs”

The Case Club Forum is an event aimed at creating a space and favorable conditions for the exchange of ideas and experience between members of student associations promoting the case method in their activities. The project includes a seminar called “Case Club Forum”. The goal of the event is to create a space for the exchange of competencies and experience, allowing for improved communication between associations and the development of joint activities for the further promotion of the case method. Representatives of existing case clubs in St. Petersburg and Moscow will be invited to participate in the forum!

Alexander Merkuriev – the project “Vaccination is impossible to remain silent”

The project “Vaccination is not possible to remain silent” is aimed at educating young people about the safety and effectiveness of vaccination. During open lessons in schools in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, young specialists in biology and medicine will tell students from different classes about our immunity, the composition and production of modern vaccines, and myths about the dangers of vaccination. All these and many other questions will be discussed in class after a popular science lecture on the topic.

Daria Khadjaridi – “Black Bear School” project

“Black Bear School” is a five-day intensive course in sports management. Over the course of five days, experts will talk about lectures on SMM, photography, video, event organization, and working with partners. The intensive course will be useful for anyone who wants to learn something new in the field of sports media – whether you are a beginner or a pro, because the intensive course is divided into categories by level of training.

The grant competition has been held since 2005 and is aimed at supporting projects of young people and student associations. The competition provides financial support in the amount of 5 thousand to 1 million rubles for the implementation of socially significant projects. In the first season of 2025, more than 15 thousand applications from all regions of Russia were received for participation. The selection of projects was carried out according to the criteria of relevance, feasibility, social significance and the presence of a sustainable result.

Support for SPbPU student projects confirms the high level of project activities at the university, as well as the active civic position of students. The university will continue to provide methodological assistance to students and youth associations in participating in such competitions, developing a culture of project thinking and social leadership.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Children in urgent need of immunization as measles spreads in Darfur News Jun 10, 2025

Source: Doctors Without Borders –

Outbreaks of measles have spread widely across Sudan’s Darfur region over the past year, affecting people in many communities where Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are treating patients. While mass vaccination campaigns are finally underway in several locations across the region, it is vital to increase efforts to reach children who have never been vaccinated.

MSF first observed a surge in measles cases in June 2024 in Rokero, Central Darfur, where MSF teams have been running the local Ministry of Health hospital without interruption since 2020. At the start of 2025, cases were also reported in East Jebel Marra in South Darfur, and in Forbrenga in West Darfur. More recently, new surges are occurring in Zalengei, Sortony, and in Tine, eastern Chad—all places where MSF operates.

From June 2024 until the end of May 2025, more than 9,950 patients were treated for measles in health facilities run or supported by MSF in the region. Around 2,700 were complicated cases requiring hospitalization, and 35 deaths were recorded. To manage the influx of patients, MSF had to expand pediatric bed capacity in three hospitals.

Zubeida holds her 21-month-old, Halima, in one of three measles isolation wards MSF set up in Rokero Hospital. | Sudan 2025 © Thibault Fendler/MSF

Conflict and low immunization coverage compound threat

One of the root causes of this situation is the region’s already-low immunization coverage. “In Forbrenga, 30 percent of the measles patients we are receiving are above the age of 5 years and only 5 percent of them are vaccinated,” explains Sue Bucknell, MSF’s deputy head of mission in West Darfur. “This suggests that the lack of vaccination dates back further than the recent conflict.”

“The ongoing conflict is also contributing to this outbreak, constraining the capacities of medical actors to both prevent and respond to outbreaks of contagious diseases,” adds Dr. Cecilia Greco, MSF medical coordinator for Central Darfur. “Mass population displacement has made the illness spread even faster across the region, further complicating the situation.”

Reactive campaigns are only a Band-Aid on an open wound unless massive efforts are put in place for immunization and prevention across Darfur, including its most remote areas.
Dr. Cecilia Greco, MSF medical coordinator for Central Darfur

Since the war broke out in Sudan in April 2023, constant administrative impediments and regular blockades of key supply roads have caused vaccine shortages throughout Darfur. This led to the disruption of routine immunization programs in several locations, sometimes for months. In Sortony, for example, a camp for internally displaced people in North Darfur hosting more than 55,000 people, vaccination stopped completely from May 2024 to February 2025.

These constraints and shortages have also limited MSF’s ability to respond. Last year, MSF carried out several vaccination campaigns, including one in North Jebel Marra in November 2024 in which 9,600 children were vaccinated. However, due to limited vaccine supplies, MSF teams were forced to exclude children over 5 years old, despite clear needs. This inevitably reduced the long-term impact of these campaigns. While the vaccination campaign in North Jebel Marra initially slowed the outbreak, cases began to rise sharply again in February.

Asha rests in MSF’s isolation ward in Tawila Hospital, where her 14-month-old child, Marwan, was admitted with measles symptoms two days prior. MSF has had to triple its pediatric bed capacity in response to the measles outbreak. | Sudan 2025 © Thibault Fendler/MSF

Massive efforts are needed for prevention

Although mass vaccination campaigns are now underway in different parts of Darfur, they were delayed by lengthy negotiations. After MSF first raised the alarm about multiple surges in measles cases, it took months for the federal Ministry of Health in Port Sudan and UNICEF to release the needed vaccines from their stocks, finally enabling mass vaccination campaigns to be launched in different areas of Darfur.

Last week, 55,800 children from nine months to 15 years old were vaccinated in Forbrenga as part of a campaign led by the Ministry of Health and supported by MSF. In a similar campaign, 93,000 more children are set to receive the vaccine in North Jebel Marra and Sortony by the end of this week.

“Even if they represent a certain achievement, these campaigns should have happened much sooner,” says Dr. Greco. “Many measles cases and their consequences could have been prevented. And as much as they are needed, such reactive campaigns are only a Band-Aid on an open wound unless massive efforts are put in place for immunization and prevention across Darfur, including its most remote areas.”

The threat of further outbreaks of disease will persist unless such efforts are initiated. “Measles is not the only contagious illness currently present in Darfur with the potential to turn into outbreaks,” says Bucknell. Over the last 10 days, about 200 people with suspected cases of cholera arrived in MSF-supported health facilities in two different Darfur states. This follows a significant cholera outbreak in Khartoum state and other parts of Sudan.

“It is essential that federal and local health authorities, UN agencies, and all medical actors on the ground collaborate not only to catch up on the vaccination of all the children left behind by immunization programs over the years, but also to enhance their ability to respond quickly and efficiently should any other outbreaks, like cholera, start spreading in Darfur,” adds Dr. Greco. “This includes the capacity to supply vaccines in and across Sudan, without facing the same impediments anymore.”

We speak out. Get updates.

MIL OSI NGO –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Protecting Canada’s livestock industry with a new vaccine bank

Source: Government of Canada News (2)

Canada is making significant progress towards the creation of a dedicated foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank, which will build on existing protections for the livestock industry and equip producers with another tool to control and eliminate the disease should an outbreak occur.

Following a competitive procurement process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, awarded contracts to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogénesis Bagó SA to supply multiple types of vaccine products and develop Canada’s first FMD vaccine bank. This FMD vaccine bank complements Canada’s current access to vaccines through the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank, ensuring readily available vaccines for Canadian producers.

FMD is a highly contagious and severe disease that affects cattle, sheep, swine, and other cloven-hoofed animals. An FMD infection can cause painful blisters that make it hard for animals to eat, walk, and produce milk, leaving them weak and sick.

Preparedness efforts, including building a Canadian FMD vaccine bank, are key to protecting Canadian animals and agriculture. Having a ready supply of FMD emergency vaccines will strengthen our ability to respond effectively to an outbreak should one occur. It could also reduce the number of cases and the duration of the outbreaks.

Collaboration between Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments along with stakeholders plays a key role in Canada’s FMD prevention and preparedness plans. These efforts, combined with Canada’s existing strict import requirements, on-farm biosecurity measures, and disease surveillance, continue to protect the health of Canadian animals and the economic prosperity of our producers and farming communities.

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Children in Darfur, Sudan, urgently need immunisation as measles spreads

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

Port Sudan – For a year now, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams in Darfur, Sudan, have been witnessing outbreaks of measles in the four Darfur states where we currently work. While massive vaccination campaigns are finally ongoing in several locations across the region, MSF calls on health authorities and medical organisations to increase efforts to catch up on the immunisation of children who have never been vaccinated.

The first surge of measles cases observed and treated by MSF were in June 2024 in Rokero, in Central Darfur, where MSF teams have been running the local Ministry of Health hospital since 2020. At the start of 2025, cases were also reported in East Jebel Marra, South Darfur, and in Forbrenga, West Darfur. More recently, new surges are also being observed in Zalengei, Sortony, and in Tine, East Chad – all places where we run activities.

From June 2024 until the end of May 2025, more than 9,950 patients were treated for measles in health facilities run or supported by MSF in the region. Around 2,700 were complicated cases requiring hospitalisation, and 35 deaths were recorded. To manage the influx of patients, we had to expand our paediatric bed capacity in three hospitals.

One of the root causes of this situation is the region’s already low immunisation coverage.

“In Forbrenga, 30 per cent of the measles patients we are receiving are above five years but only 5 per cent of them are vaccinated,” says Sue Bucknell, deputy head of mission in West Darfur. “This suggests that the lack of vaccination dates back further than the recent conflict.”

“The ongoing conflict is also contributing to this outbreak, constraining the capacities of medical staff to both prevent and respond to outbreaks of contagious diseases,” says Dr Cecilia Greco, medical coordinator for Central Darfur. “Mass population displacement has made the illness spread even faster across the region, further complicating the situation.”

Since the war broke out, constant administrative impediments and regular blockades of key supply roads have caused vaccine shortages throughout Darfur. This led to disruption in routine immunisation programmes in several locations, sometimes for months. In Sortony, for example, an internally displaced people’s camp in North Darfur hosting more than 55,000 people, vaccination activities totally stopped from May 2024 to February 2025.

One of the three extensions, in which MSF teams treat severe cases of measles. On this day, 11 patients were sharing the 10 available beds. Since June 2024, our teams witness an ongoing outbreak of measles in North Jebel Marra. Over the past ten months, MSF treated more than 1,900 patients – mostly children under 5 – and has registered 11 deaths. Medical data gathered by our teams shows that the 70% of children we admitted, were never vaccinated.
Thibault Fendler/MSF

These constraints and shortages have also limited medical organisations’ capacity to roll out proper response campaigns. Last year, MSF carried out several vaccination campaigns, such as in November 2024 in North Jebel Marra where 9,600 children were vaccinated.

However, due to limited vaccine supplies, our teams were forced to reduce the target number and to exclude children over age five, despite clear needs. This inevitably reduced the long-term impact of these campaigns. In North Jebel Marra, while the vaccination campaign initially slowed the outbreak, cases began to rise sharply again from February.

Although mass vaccination campaigns are now happening in different parts of Darfur, negotiations and procedures have been lengthy. After MSF first raised the alarm about the multiple surges our teams were witnessing, it took months before the Federal Ministry of Health in Port Sudan and UNICEF released the needed vaccines from their stocks, finally enabling mass vaccination campaigns to be launched in different areas of Darfur.

Last week, 55,800 children from age nine months to 15 years were vaccinated in Forbrenga as part of a campaign led by the Ministry of Health and supported by MSF. Around 93,000 more children are set to receive the vaccine in North Jebel Marra and Sortony by the end of this week, in a similar campaign.

“Even if they represent a certain achievement, these campaigns should have happened much sooner. Many measles cases and their consequences could have been prevented,” says Dr Greco. “And as much as they are needed, such reactive campaigns are only a band-aid to an open wound unless massive efforts are put in place on immunisation and prevention across Darfur, including its most remote areas.”

There is the threat of further outbreaks of disease unless such efforts are initiated.

“Measles is not the only contagious illness currently present in Darfur with the potential to turn into outbreaks,” says Bucknell. “Over the last 10 days, about 200 suspected cholera cases were brought to MSF-supported health facilities in two different Darfur states. This follows a significant cholera outbreak in Khartoum state and other parts of Sudan.”

“It is essential that federal and local health authorities, UN agencies and all medical organisations on the ground collaborate, not only to catch up on the vaccination of all the children left behind by immunisation programmes over the years, but also to enhance their ability to respond quickly and efficiently should any other outbreaks, like cholera, start spreading over Darfur,” says Dr Greco. “This includes the capacity to supply vaccines in and across Sudan, without facing the same impediments.”

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MIL OSI NGO –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Increase in COVID, flu and RSV in Victoria
Source: FairTrading New South Wales
Key messages
- There is an increased risk of respiratory illnesses heading into the winter months.
- Immunisations are available for many respiratory illnesses such as influenza (flu), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It is never too late to get vaccinated.
- Early antiviral treatments for influenza and COVID-19 can help to reduce severe disease for high-risk individuals.
- Simple hygiene and preventive measures like covering coughs and sneezes, regular hand washing and staying home when unwell can help reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses.
What is the issue?

There is an increased risk of respiratory illnesses heading into the winter months. In Victoria, the increase in COVID-19 cases between April and May this year was 2.5 times higher than the same time last year, and hospitalisations have been increasing. Flu and RSV cases are also increasing.

Young children and older adults are particularly vulnerable to respiratory illnesses and may experience more severe illness requiring hospitalisation.

Who is at risk?

People most at risk of severe illness with respiratory conditions include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, children under the age of 5 years old, elderly people, pregnant women, those who are immunocompromised, and those with certain medical conditions including diabetes, cardiac disease and chronic respiratory conditions.

While some people may be at a higher risk of severe illness, it is possible for anyone to be infected and become unwell.

Symptoms and transmission

Symptoms of respiratory illnesses such as flu, COVID-19 and RSV can be quite similar and include fever, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, body aches and fatigue.

These illnesses are very infectious and spread via droplets produced through coughing and sneezing, or by coming in close contact with infected people.

Recommendations

For the public

There are some simple steps you can do to help protect yourself and others from severe illness.

Immunisations are available for many respiratory illnesses including flu, COVID-19 and RSV. These can be accessed through GPs, pharmacies, local councils and Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations.

Some Victorians may be eligible for free immunisations. For further information, talk to your doctor or visit:

Other things you can do to keep yourself and others healthy include:
- Wash or sanitise your hands thoroughly and regularly, particularly before and after touching your face
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow
- Stay home if you are unwell
- Wear a face mask if you have symptoms or visiting sensitive settings, such as aged care facilities
- Talk with your doctor now if you are at higher risk for complications from COVID-19 or the flu. Discuss what to do if you get sick, including testing options and whether you are eligible for antiviral treatment
- If you experience serious symptoms, seek medical attention.
For clinicians
- Offer annual influenza vaccination to everyone aged 6 months and older.
- Ensure those most at risk of severe illness are up to date with their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
- Offer Abrysvo® RSV vaccine to eligible pregnant women (28 to 36 weeks pregnancy) and nirsevimab (Beyfortus™) RSV monoclonal antibody to eligible infants. RSV vaccines are not approved for use in infants and children.
- Discuss RSV vaccination options with older adults.
- Encourage catch up vaccination for patients who are not up to date with routine immunisations.
- Discuss early use of anti-viral treatment for flu and COVID-19 for high-risk individuals.
MIL OSI News –
June 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 9 June 2025 Statement Fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 – Temporary recommendations
Source: World Health Organisation

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), following the fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024, held on 5 June 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CEST, concurs with its advice that the event continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern and, considering the advice of the Committee, he is hereby issuing a revised set of temporary recommendations.

The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. The proceeding of the fourth meeting of the Committee will be shared with States Parties to the IHR and published in the coming days.

———

Temporary recommendations

These temporary recommendations are issued to States Parties experiencing the transmission of monkeypox virus (MPXV), including, but not limited to, those where there is sustained community transmission, and where there are clusters of cases or sporadic travel-related cases of MPXV clade Ib.

They are intended to be implemented by those States Parties in addition to the current standing recommendations for mpox, valid until 20 August 2025.

In the context of the global efforts to prevent and control the spread of mpox disease outlined in the WHO Strategic framework for enhancing prevention and control of mpox: 2024–2027, the aforementioned standing recommendations apply to all States Parties.

All current WHO interim technical guidance can be accessed on this page of the WHO website. WHO evidence-based guidance has been and will continue to be updated in line with the evolving situation, updated scientific evidence, and WHO risk assessment to support States Parties in the implementation of the WHO Strategic Framework for enhancing mpox prevention and control.

Pursuant to Article 3 Principle of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the implementation of these temporary recommendations, as well as of the standing recommendations for mpox, by States Parties shall be with full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons, in line with the principles set out in Article 3 of the IHR.

———

Note: The text in backets next to each temporary recommendation indicates the status with respect to the set of temporary recommendations issued on 27 November 2024.

Emergency coordination
- Secure political commitment and engagement to intensify mpox prevention and response efforts, including resource allocation, for the lowest administrative and operational level reporting mpox cases (hotspots) in the prior 4 weeks. (EXTENDED)
- Establish or enhance coordination among all partners and stakeholders engaged in or supporting mpox prevention and response activities through cooperation, including by introducing accountability mechanisms. (EXTENDED)
- Establish a mechanism to monitor the effectiveness of mpox prevention and response measures implemented at lower administrative levels, so that such measures can be adjusted as needed. (EXTENDED)
- Engage with and strengthen partner organizations for collaboration and support for mpox response, including humanitarian actors in contexts with insecurity, humanitarian corridors, or areas with internal or refugee population displacements and in hosting communities in insecure areas. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
Collaborative surveillance
- Enhance mpox surveillance, by increasing the sensitivity of the approaches adopted and ensuring comprehensive geographic coverage. (EXTENDED)
- Expand access to accurate, affordable and available diagnostics to test for mpox, including through strengthening arrangements for the transport of samples, the decentralization of testing and arrangements to differentiate MPXV clades and conduct genomic sequencing. (EXTENDED)
- Identify, monitor and support the contacts of persons with suspected, clinically-diagnosed or laboratory-confirmed mpox to prevent onward transmission. (EXTENDED)
- Scale up efforts to thoroughly investigate cases and outbreaks of mpox to better understand the modes of transmission and transmission risk, and prevent its onward transmission to contacts and communities. (EXTENDED)
- Report to WHO suspected, probable and confirmed cases of mpox in a timely manner and on a weekly basis. (EXTENDED)
Safe and scalable clinical care
- Provide clinical, nutritional and psychosocial support for patients with mpox, including, where appropriate and possible, isolation in care centres and/or access to materials and guidance for home-based care. (EXTENDED)
- Develop and implement a plan to expand access to optimized supportive clinical care for all patients with mpox, including children, pregnant women, and persons living with HIV, recognising the association of mpox-related morbidity and mortality in persons living with HIV with untreated or advanced HIV. This includes prompt identification and effective management of endemic co-infections, such as malaria, chickenpox or measles. This also includes offering HIV tests to adult patients who do not know their HIV status and to children as appropriate, testing and treatment for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among cases linked to sexual contact and referral to HIV/STIs treatment and care services when indicated. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
- Strengthen health and care workers’ capacity, knowledge and skills in clinical and infection and prevention and control pathways – screening, diagnosis, isolation, environmental cleaning, discharge of patients, including post discharge follow up for suspected and confirmed mpox –, and provide health and care workers with personal protective equipment (PPE). (EXTENDED)
- Strengthen adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and availability of water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and waste management services and infrastructure in healthcare facilities and treatment and care centers to ensure quality healthcare service delivery and protection of health and care workers, caregivers and patients. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
International traffic
- Establish or strengthen cross-border collaboration arrangements for surveillance, management and support of suspected cases and contacts of mpox, and for the provision of information to travellers and conveyance operators, without resorting to travel and trade restrictions that unnecessarily impact local, regional or national economies. (EXTENDED)
Vaccination
- Continue to prepare for and implement targeted use of vaccine for “Phase 1-Stop the outbreak” (as defined in the WHO Mpox global strategic preparedness and response plan (2025)) through the identification of the lowest administrative level reporting cases (hotspots) and targeting those groups at high risk of mpox exposure to interrupt sustained community transmission. (EXTENDED, with rephrasing and updated reference)
- Develop and implement plans for vaccination in the context of an integrated response at the lowest administrative level reporting cases for people at high risk of exposure (e.g., contacts of cases of all ages, health and frontline workers, and other groups at risk such as those with multiple sexual partners and sex workers in endemic and non-endemic areas). This entails a targeted integrated response, including active surveillance and contact tracing; agile adaptation of immunization strategies and plans to the local context including dose-sparing options (single dose/fractional dosing) in the context of limited availability of vaccines; proactive community engagement to generate and sustain demand for and trust in vaccination; close monitoring of mpox vaccination activities, coverage and adverse events following immunization (AEFI); assessment of vaccine effectiveness; and documenting lessons learned and their implementation. (MODIFIED)
Community protection
- Strengthen risk communication and community engagement in affected communities and local workforces for outbreak prevention, response and vaccination strategies, particularly at the lowest administrative levels reporting cases. Key actions include training, mapping high risk and vulnerable populations for tailored interventions, data driven approaches for social listening, community feedback and dialogue, and managing misinformation. This entails, inter alia, communicating effectively the uncertainties and new information regarding the natural history of mpox and modes of transmission, the effectiveness of mpox vaccines and duration of protection following vaccination, and about any clinical trials to which the local population may have access, as appropriate. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
- Address stigma and discrimination of any kind via meaningful community engagement, particularly in health services and during risk communication activities, and through engagement with civil society groups, such as HIV networks. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
- Promote and implement IPC measures and basic WASH and waste management services in household settings, congregate settings (e.g. prisons, internally displaced persons and refugee camps, etc.), schools, points of entry and cross border transit areas. (EXTENDED)
Governance and financing
- Galvanize and scale up national funding and explore external opportunities for targeted funding of mpox prevention, readiness and response activities, advocate for release of available funds and take steps to identify potential new funding partners for emergency response. (EXTENDED)
- Optimize the use of resources, in the context of global and local external funding shortfalls, by allocating available resources to the implementation of core mpox response interventions needed in the medium term; maximizing their cost-efficiency through cross-programmatic synergetic approaches; and by engaging partners in resource-sharing arrangements to maintain the delivery of essential health services. (NEW)
- Integrate mpox prevention and response measures, including enhanced surveillance, in existing programmes for prevention, control and treatment of other endemic diseases – especially HIV, as well as STIs, malaria, tuberculosis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and/or non-communicable diseases – striving to identify activities which will benefit the programmes involved and lead to better health outcomes overall. (EXTENDED)
Addressing research gaps
- Invest in field studies to better understand animal hosts and zoonotic spillover in the areas where MPXV is circulating, in coordination with the animal health sector and One Health partners. (EXTENDED)
- Strengthen and expand use of genomic sequencing to characterize the epidemiology and chains of transmission of MPXV to better inform control measures, particularly regarding the emergence and circulation of new virus strains. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
Reporting on the implementation of temporary recommendations
- Report quarterly to WHO on the status of, and challenges related to, the implementation of these temporary recommendations, using a revised standardized tool and channels that will be made available by WHO, also allowing for the monitoring of progress and the identification of gaps of the national response. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
MIL OSI United Nations News –
June 10, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s whooping cough surge is not over – and it doesn’t just affect babies

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niall Johnston, Conjoint Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney

Tomsickova Tatyana/Shutterstock

Whooping cough (pertussis) is always circulating in Australia, and epidemics are expected every three to four years. However, the numbers we’re seeing with the current surge – which started in 2024 – are higher than usual epidemics.

Vaccines for this highly infectious respiratory infection have been available in Australia for many decades. Yet it remains a challenging infection to control because immunity (due to prior infection, or vaccination) wanes with time.

In 2025, more than 14,000 cases have been recorded already. Some regions, including Queensland and Western Australia’s Kimberley region, are seeing a marked rise in cases.

In 2024, more than 57,000 cases of whooping cough were reported in Australia – the highest yearly total since 1991 – including 25,900 in New South Wales alone.

What is causing the current surge?

A few factors are driving numbers higher than we’d expect for an anticipated epidemic.

COVID lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 reduced natural immunity to many diseases, disrupted routine childhood vaccination services, and resulted in rising distrust in vaccines. This has meant higher-than-usual numbers for many infectious diseases.

And it’s not only Australia witnessing this surge.

In the United States, whooping cough cases are at their highest since 1948, with deaths reported in several states, including two infants.

In Australia, vaccine coverage remains relatively high but it is slipping and is below the national target of 95% .

Even small declines may have a significant impact on infection rates.

Who is at risk of whooping cough?

Young babies, especially those under six weeks of age, are extremely vulnerable to whooping cough because they’re too young to be vaccinated.

Infants under six months of age are also more likely to require hospitalisation for breathing support or have severe outcomes such as pneumonia, seizures or brain inflammation . Some do not survive.

However, the greatest number of cases occur in older children and adults. In fact, in 2024, more than 70% of cases occurred in children 10 years and older, and adults.

Babies who are too young to be vaccinated are most vulnerable.
Halfpoint/Shutterstock

Can you get whooping cough even if you’re vaccinated?

The whooping cough vaccine works well, but its protection fades with time. Babies are immunised at six weeks, four months and six months, which gives good protection against severe illness.

But without extra (booster) doses, that protection drops, falling to less than 50% by four years of age. That’s why booster doses at 18 months and four years are essential for maintaining protection against the disease.

A whooping cough vaccine is also recommended for any adult who wishes to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill with pertussis. Carers of young infants, in particular, should have a booster dose if they’ve not received one in the past ten years.

A booster dose is also recommended every ten years for health-care workers and early childhood educators.

One of the best ways we can protect babies from the life-threatening illness of whooping cough is vaccination during pregnancy, which transfers protective antibodies to the unborn baby.

If a woman hasn’t received a vaccine during pregnancy, they can be vaccinated as soon as possible after delivery (preferably before hospital discharge). This won’t pass protective immunity to the baby, but reduces the likelihood of the mother getting whooping cough, providing some indirect protection to the infant.

How contagious is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is extremely contagious – in fact, it is up to ten times more contagious than the flu.

If you’re immunised against whooping cough, you’re likely to have milder symptoms. But you can still catch and spread it, including to babies who have not yet been immunised.

Data shows siblings (and not parents) are one of the most common sources of whooping cough infection in babies.

This highlights the importance of on-time vaccination not just during pregnancy, but also in siblings and other close contacts.

How do I know it’s whooping cough, and not just a cold?

Early symptoms of whooping cough can look just like a cold: a runny nose, mild fever, and a persistent cough.

After about a week, the cough often worsens, coming in long fits that may end with a sharp “whoop” as the person gasps for breath.

In very young babies, there may be no whoop at all. They might briefly stop breathing (called an “apnoea”) or turn blue.

In teens and adults, the only sign may be a stubborn cough (the so-called “100-day” cough) that won’t go away.

If you have whooping cough, you may be infectious for up to three weeks after symptoms begin, unless treated with antibiotics (which can shorten this to five days).

You’ll need to stay home from work, school or childcare during this time to help protect others.

What should I do to reduce my risk?

Start by checking your vaccination record. This can be done through the myGov website, the Express Plus Medicare app or by asking your GP.

If you’re pregnant, get a whooping cough booster in your second trimester. A booster is also important if you’re planning to care for young infants or meet a newborn.

Got a cough that lasts more than a week or comes in fits? Ask your GP about testing.

One quick booster could help stop the next outbreak from reaching you or your loved ones.

Phoebe Williams receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Gates Foundation, and the Medical Research Future Fund.

Helen Quinn and Niall Johnston do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Australia’s whooping cough surge is not over – and it doesn’t just affect babies – https://theconversation.com/australias-whooping-cough-surge-is-not-over-and-it-doesnt-just-affect-babies-257808

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Measles cases are surging globally. Should children be vaccinated earlier?

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies (IDIE) Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

EyeEm Mobile GmbH/Getty Images

Measles has been rising globally in recent years. There were an estimated 10.3 million cases worldwide in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022.

Outbreaks are being reported all over the world including in the United States, Europe and the Western Pacific region (which includes Australia). For example, Vietnam has reportedly seen thousands of cases in 2024 and 2025.

In Australia, 77 cases of measles have been recorded in the first five months of 2025, compared with 57 cases in all of 2024.

Measles cases in Australia are almost all related to international travel. They occur in travellers returning from overseas, or are contracted locally after mixing with an infected traveller or their contacts.

Measles most commonly affects children and is preventable with vaccination, given in Australia in two doses at 12 and 18 months old. But in light of current outbreaks globally, is there a case for reviewing the timing of measles vaccinations?

Some measles basics

Measles is caused by a virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus. Symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose and a rash. While it presents as a mild illness in most cases, measles can lead to severe disease requiring hospitalisation, and even death. Large outbreaks can overwhelm health systems.

Measles can have serious health consequences, such as in the brain and the immune system, years after the infection.

Measles spreads from person to person via small respiratory droplets that can remain suspended in the air for two hours. It’s highly contagious – one person with measles can spread the infection to 12–18 people who aren’t immune.

Because measles is so infectious, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends two-dose vaccination coverage above 95% to stop the spread and achieve “herd immunity”.

Low and declining vaccine coverage, especially since the COVID pandemic, is driving global outbreaks.

Read more:
What are the symptoms of measles? How long does the vaccine last? Experts answer 6 key questions

When are children vaccinated against measles?

Newborn babies are generally protected against measles thanks to maternal antibodies. Maternal antibodies get passed from the mother to the baby via the placenta and in breast milk, and provide protection against infections including measles.

The WHO advises everyone should receive two doses of measles vaccination. In places where there’s a lot of measles circulating, children are generally recommended to have the first dose at around nine months old. This is because it’s expected maternal antibodies would have declined significantly in most infants by that age, leaving them vulnerable to infection.

If maternal measles antibodies are still present, the vaccine is less likely to produce an immune response.

Research has also shown a measles vaccine given at less than 8.5 months of age can result in an antibody response which declines more quickly. This might be due to interference with maternal antibodies, but researchers are still trying to understand the reasons for this.

A second dose of the vaccine is usually given 6–9 months later. A second dose is important because about 10–15% of children don’t develop antibodies after the first vaccine.

In settings where measles transmission is under better control, a first dose is recommended at 12 months of age. Vaccination at 12 months compared with nine months is considered to generate a stronger, longer-lasting immune response.

In Australia, children are routinely given the measles-mumps- rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12 months and the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV, with “varicella” being chickenpox) vaccine at 18 months.

Babies at higher risk of catching the disease can also be given an additional early dose. In Australia, this is recommended for infants as young as six months when there’s an outbreak or if they’re travelling overseas to a high-risk setting.

A new study looking at measles antibodies in babies

A recent review looked at measles antibody data from babies under nine months old living in low- and middle-income countries. The review combined the results from 20 studies, including more than 8,000 babies. The researchers found that while 81% of newborns had maternal antibodies to measles, only 30% of babies aged four months had maternal antibodies.

This study suggests maternal antibodies to measles decline much earlier than previously thought. It raises the question of whether the first dose of measles vaccine is given too late to maximise infants’ protection, especially when there’s a lot of measles around.

Should we bring the measles vaccine forward in Australia?

All of the data in this study comes from low- and middle-income countries, and might not reflect the situation in Australia where we have much higher vaccine coverage for measles, and very few cases.

Australia’s coverage for two doses of the MMR vaccine at age two is above 92%.

Although this is lower than the optimal 95%, the overall risk of measles surging in Australia is relatively low.

Nonetheless, there may be a case for broadening the age at which an early extra dose of the measles vaccine can be given to children at higher risk. In New Zealand, infants as young as four months can receive a measles vaccine before travelling to an endemic country.

But the current routine immunisation schedule in Australia is unlikely to change.

Adding an extra dose to the schedule would be costly and logistically difficult. Lowering the age for the first dose may have some advantages in certain settings, and doesn’t pose any safety concerns, but further evidence would be required to support this change. In particular, research is needed to ensure it wouldn’t negatively affect the longer-term protection that vaccination offers from measles.

Making sure you’re protected

In the meantime, ensuring high levels of measles vaccine coverage with two doses is a global priority.

People born after 1966 are recommended to have two doses of measles vaccine. This is because those born before the mid-1960s likely caught measles as children (when the vaccine was not yet available) and would therefore have natural immunity.

If you’re unsure about your vaccination status, you can check this through the Australian Immunisation Register. If you don’t have a documented record, ask your doctor for advice.

Catch-up vaccination is available under the National Immunisation Program.

Meru Sheel receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Anita Heywood does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Measles cases are surging globally. Should children be vaccinated earlier? – https://theconversation.com/measles-cases-are-surging-globally-should-children-be-vaccinated-earlier-257942

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 9, 2025