Travel Vaccine Breaking News

As the United States prepares for the next wave of COVID-19 disease, the government is taking steps to clarify what changes to the formula of preventive vaccines are needed.

The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) recently confirmed it will meet on May 22, 2025, in open session to discuss and recommend selecting the 2025-2026 formula for COVID-19 vaccines for use in the U.S.

This VRBPAC meeting will be held virtually, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, and is open to the public to attend digitally.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) intends to make background material available to the public no later than two business days before this meeting.

Recently, the new FDA Commissioner Marty Makary stated that Vinay Prasad, the director overseeing vaccines, intends to clarify the FDA’s expectations for vaccine development and approval.

For example, the FDA has asked Novavax Inc. to conduct a new randomized controlled trial for its non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition advised manufacturers that monovalent JN.1 or KP.2 vaccines remain appropriate vaccine antigens; monovalent LP.8.1 is a suitable alternative vaccine antigen.

The WHO wrote, 'Overall, ' the currently approved monovalent JN.1 or KP.2 vaccines continue to elicit broadly cross-reactive immune responses to circulating JN.1-derived variants.'

As of May 16, 2025, COVID-19 vaccines are available at various clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

Led by a team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the findings from a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases demonstrated the feasibility of assessing seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) using linked immunization and laboratory data from public health surveillance systems.

Published on May 13, 2025, among 1,382,142 laboratory reports, 129,253 persons (9%) (129,253) had a positive influenza test result, of whom 415,390 (30%) had documented influenza vaccination ≥14 days before test date. VE against laboratory-confirmed influenza was 41% (95% confidence interval (CI), 40%–42%). VE was 32% (95% CI, 31%-33%) against influenza A, 68% (95% CI, 66%-69%) against influenza B.

Among older adults aged 65 years or more, flu shot VE was 26% (95% CI, 24%–29 %).

The authors wrote, "Differences in viral evolution may contribute to waning vaccine effectiveness or immune escape."

"Age-related factors contributing to lower VE might include diminished adaptive immune response, increased prevalence of comorbidities, and frailty."

They also noted that the flu shot's lower VE estimates with increasing patient age are consistent with a meta-analysis of test-negative studies conducted from 2004 to 2015.

As of May 9, 2025, the U.S. CDC confirmed that seasonal influenza activity for 2024-2025 is declining. And the CDC continues to recommend that everyone ages 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine as long as influenza viruses are circulating.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health recently highlighted a noticeable increase in the Chikungunya outbreak in the Colombo and Kotte areas.

As of March 14, 2025, Weekly Epidemiological Report #12 revealed 173 chikungunya cases had been reported in Colombo, Gampaha, and Kandy.

Local media reported that Acting Consultant Community Physician Dr. Kumudu Weerakoon stated that the Chikungunya virus spread to Sri Lanka in 1960. After several years of low transmission, medical experts said in May 2025 that an effective way to control the spread of Chikungunya is to eliminate as many mosquito breeding sites as possible.

While Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia in the Indian Ocean, it is located thousands of miles to the east of the Chikungunya outbreaks in Mayotte, Mauritius, and Réunion.

International travelers departing from the United States and Europe can receive a preventive vaccine when visiting these Chikungunya outbreak areas in May 2025.

In 2025, the State Institute of Public Health (SZÚ) reported a rise in cases of infectious jaundice across the Czech Republic (Czechia). By the end of April, 450 reported cases of viral hepatitis A had been reported.

Tragically, six patients had died due to hepatitis A, a vaccine-preventable disease.

Czech health officials informed the media on May 13, 2025, that the actual number of infections is likely much higher because it is difficult to track the spread of the virus, which causes liver inflammation that can be fatal in rare cases.

In comparison, the SZÚ recorded 636 cases and two related deaths in 2024.

This year, Hepatitis A affects regions across the Czech Republic. The regions of Central Bohemia – 87, Moravia-Silesia – 83, and Prague – 73 report the most cases. 

"In Prague, almost 1/3 of the disease is reported in homeless people," stated SZU.

In 2025, the spread of hepatitis A impacted other European countries, such as Slovakia, Hungary, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

Effective Hepatitis A vaccines are available in the Czech Republic, as in the United States.

Basic protection is achieved after a single injection. A second dose is required to obtain long-term protection, which is given 6-18 months after the first dose.

In 1904, the Isthmus of Panama reported that tropical diseases such as malaria led to the death of an estimated 12,000 workers during the Panama Canal project.

Over 100 years later, the mosquito-transmitted malaria continues to impact the health of the Republic of Panama.

On May 9, 2025, Panama's Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported that two deaths from malaria had been recorded in 2025. The victims were from Eastern Panama in February and from Veraguas in March.

These are Panama's first malaria-related fatalities since 2017.

In 2024, a total of 15,109 cases were reported, and in 2023, 11,659 malaria cases were reported. This data represents a sustained increase in the transmission of this disease.

Minsa stated that this increase has been linked to increased human mobility toward areas of active transmission and the effects of climate variability and change, which can favor the proliferation of the transmitting mosquito and contact with vulnerable populations. It urges citizens to collaborate actively with prevention strategies and seek prompt medical attention if they experience symptoms consistent with malaria.

Throughout 2025, several countries in the Region of the Americas have reported malaria outbreaks.

As of May 13, 2025, the U.S. CDC Yellow Book recommends that travelers to certain areas of Panama take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to a travel medicine professional about which malaria medication you should take.

Furthermore, while two malaria vaccines are being deployed in Africa, they have not been offered in the Americas.

Additionally, the CDC has included Panama in its Travel Health Advisories for Dengue and Oropouche outbreaks.

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) reports two additional measles cases in Cass County, bringing the state’s total to 11 cases in 2025. Both individuals were unvaccinated and acquired measles through international travel.

HHS stated on May 11, 2025, that exposed vaccinated individuals don’t need to be quarantined.

However, individuals who have not received a dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine should be quarantined (stay home) and monitored for symptoms for 21 days. 

These are not related to recent cases in Williams County.

"Due to the current measles outbreak, please isolate at home if you have symptoms of runny nose, fever, cough, and rash,” said Dr. Beverly Tong, Upper Missouri District Health Unit deputy director, in a press release on May 6, 2025.

“Isolation should continue until at least four full days after the onset of a rash."

"Time from exposure to onset of rash is generally around seven to 21 days, and you can spread measles up to four days before the rash appears. Don't hesitate to contact your health care provider's office if you wish to be tested. They will instruct you on when and where to arrive at their clinic to minimize risk to others."

Because some new measles cases are not linked to earlier known exposures, there is concern about potential community transmission. As a precaution, HHS recommends that all residents and travelers to Williams County ensure they are vaccinated against measles. This includes considering early MMR vaccination for infants aged 6 through 11 months.

A recent study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology has shown that the Babesia parasite has rapidly spread throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Researchers wrote that, to our knowledge, this is the first report of B. microti and B. burgdorferi-positive I. keiransi from Virginia and the first report of B. burgdorferi-positive I. keiransi from Delaware.

This poses a significant health risk to people in communities where the disease was previously considered rare. Humans enter the cycle when bitten by infected ticks.

According to the U.S. CDC, Babesiosis, caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells, can range from asymptomatic to severe illness, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.

The research published on April 22, 2025, highlights an increasing number of locally acquired human cases and the detection of Babesia microti, the primary causative agent of human babesiosis, in blacklegged and Ixodes keiransi ticks.

Little is known about the prevalence of Babesia worldwide, says the CDC, but little is known about its prevalence in malaria-endemic countries, where misidentification as Plasmodium probably occurs. In Europe, most reported cases are due to B. divergens and occur in splenectomized patients.

In the United States, B. microti is the agent most frequently identified (Northeast and Midwest) and can occur in nonsplenectomized individuals.

This study highlighted an unfortunate issue for healthcare providers.

Jurisdictions in the southern mid-Atlantic region should expect babesiosis cases, Lyme disease, and anaplasmosis coinfections during the summer of 2025, and healthcare providers should consider these tick-borne infections as part of the differential diagnosis.

As of May 11, 2025, no approved vaccines are available for these diseases. However, a Lyme disease vaccine has progressed in a phase 3 clinical study.