Hepatitis B vaccine protects against a liver infection and is typically given as a newborn series with follow-up doses.
Major US medical societies have issued unified guidance this week for flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines after the CDC’s advisory process has been disrupted. Updated COVID shots have FDA approval and manufacturers are shipping doses, but legal and policy disputes over federal recommendations continue to leave states and insurers uncertain about timing and coverage.
UK immunisation coverage shows signs of stabilising among children starting primary school, but latest data reveal uptake for several vaccines remains below the 95% target set by the WHO. The UK Health Security Agency reports small year-to-year declines in several shots, with regional gaps and disparities in deprived areas. NHS continues offering vaccines free of charge from infancy onward.
New studies show a sharp rise in vitamin K deficiency bleeding among U.S. newborns as more parents skip the routine vitamin K shot. Data from JAMA and JAMA Pediatrics indicate 6.8% of infants in 2025 did not receive the shot, up from 3.1% in 2017, with higher odds of brain bleeding and death during birth hospitalizations.