Childhood vaccination rates, a health bright spot in struggling states, are slipping Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia have some of the highest childhood vaccination rates. Experts worry a rising tide of vaccine skepticism is causing those bright spots to dim. NBC News

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Expert outlines plan to combat antivaccine movement's next phase In a recent essay, pediatrician-scientist Peter Hotez proposes a focus on local data, improved benefit-risk communications, actively countering health disinformation, and state-level action to address ... Public Library of Science Medical Xpress

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Study: COVID-19 hospital cases, deaths in nursing homes fell sharply after widespread vaccination Eighty-seven percent of hospitalizations and 89% of resident deaths took place before widespread vaccination. CIDRAP

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"Despite peak or near-peak outbreak duration and size in the winter surge that followed vaccination, the decline in severe outcomes observed upon vaccine introduction endured," the authors wrote.

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Are mask mandates making a comeback? Hospitalizations have spiked in major cities, including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. sthomas The Hill

In Southern California, most hospitals never ended their mask mandates after the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, more mandates are returning. ...

Hospitalizations are up sharply in major cities, including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

Health officials are advising the immunocompromised to mask in public to prevent illness, and in Wisconsin, a major health care group is reinstating a mask mandate beginning next week.

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