Public health updates should be highlighting progress that includes improving communicable disease rates, new research, developments and positivity. In the beginning of 2026, we are seeing the opposite. The flu season is surging, COVID-19 and measles cases are climbing, RSV is rising and the nation’s vaccine recommendations are being modified without evidence-based research.
Someone at work the other day in a busy urgent care said “flu, flu, COVID” in an analogy to “duck, duck, goose.” Often gallows humor gets us through. Of course these viruses are not humorous. There is wisdom, teaching and history in nursery rhymes and games. We are definitely seeing more flu than COVID. We are clearly seeing more flu and COVID than any other complaints. Four children in Massachusetts have reportedly died of the flu this year and nine in the US.
Nationwide, we are experiencing high levels of the flu. Numbers are already surpassing last year’s before peak flu season has hit. So far this season, CDC estimates there have been 11 million cases, 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. In Massachusetts, estimated influenza and flu-like illness is very high and hospitalizations are increasing. As of Dec. 27, 2025, there have been 32 deaths which includes the four children.
With sound evidence in the news that people are suffering and dying from the flu, the federal government announced they no longer recommend flu vaccinations and other vital immunizations for children. COVID vaccinations for children are no longer recommended either. Other vaccinations no longer on the schedule include, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, rotavirus and RSV. The administration schedules of the MMR, Hep A and Varicella vaccine were previously altered.
Measles vaccination rates have dropped to 92.7%. When more than 95% of the community are vaccinated, herd immunity protects most people. This decrease is an open invitation to the disease to spread. There were 2,144 cases of measles in the US per the CDC in 2025. To date in 2026, there have been 3. Remember, measles was eliminated in the US in 2000. Before that, about 400 children a year died of measles.
The government also announced that government Medicaid programs will no longer have to report immunizations rates. This eliminates comprehensive data of children at risk for communicable diseases, data that can help protect children from preventable diseases. These decisions are being made by people who have no education or expertise in medicine and public health. We can’t know where we are going if we don’t know where we are.
The end result will be more preventable illness and death. The immediate effects are going to be chaos and confusion for parents trying to navigate and understand what is best for their child when government guidelines are not based on scientific evidence. The American Academy of Pediatricians released its own immunization schedule that is formatted from evidence based research. Our nation cannot forget that the reason death and disability of children from vaccine preventable illnesses has improved is because of vaccines.
Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein stated in a recent press release regarding rising levels of influenza activity, “These viruses are serious, dangerous and life threatening. We are seeing children who are seriously ill, families grieving devastating losses and hospitals under capacity strain. There is a simple, effective and available way to address these concerns: vaccines. They can prevent serious illness and hospitalization. And they save lives. If you have not yet been vaccinated against flu or COVID-19 this season, now is the time. It is not too late. Choosing vaccination is choosing to protect yourself, your family, your friends, your colleagues and your community.“
We can save lives by leaving children’s games in the school playground and leaving vaccine schedules to the medical community of experts and researchers. The price of a child’s life is too valuable to leave it in the hands of those not educated and qualified to make life saving decisions.
The children’s rhyme and game, “Ring Around the Rosie,” is said to depict the bubonic plague — the rosies represent deadly rashes, the posies thought to be a preventative measure or to mask stench, the ashes, ashes refers to cremations and everyone falling down meant falling down dead. My hope is the children of today can continue to know this simply as a game to sing and play and not a comeback of preventable, horrible diseases and deaths or a new morbid nursery rhyme in the future.
Take care of yourself and someone else.
