VaccinesAug 24, 2026
The first mRNA seasonal flu vaccine is here. Moderna's mFlusiva is approved for adults 50 and older starting fall 2026, and if you're a healthy adult between 50 and 64, it's a defensible upgrade over your usual flu shot: about a quarter fewer lab-confirmed cases of flu, at the price of a sorer arm. If you're 65 or older, the question is trickier. Your current best options are the high-dose and adjuvanted shots, and whether mFlusiva beats those is the exact question the FDA is now making Moderna answer.
NewsAug 24, 2026
Yes, if you're 65 or older or have a high-risk condition. Start nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) within a few days of symptoms, and be current on the 2025-2026 LP.8.1 booster. Both still cover Stratus (XFG) and Nimbus (NB.1.8.1), the immune-evasive Omicron descendants driving the summer 2026 wave. The XFG-matched shot isn't shipping yet, and neither variant looks more dangerous than earlier Omicron, so waiting trades a real, available benefit for a theoretical one.
NewsAug 23, 2026
Two on-time doses of MMR give your child about 97% lifetime protection against measles, and that individual protection matters more this year than it has in a generation. National kindergarten coverage has slipped for a sixth straight year. Exemptions cluster in specific schools, and US measles cases have already passed 2,400. Your own child's schedule is still the piece you control.
