But in 2024, there was a prolonged summer surge in California that lasted from June through the end of September. After that spike, the expected winter surge never came this year, and for the first time in five years, flu deaths surpassed COVID deaths.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its immunization schedule for children, days after US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that Covid-19 vaccines would be struck from the list of recommended shots for healthy children and pregnant women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says that kids with no underlying health conditions "may receive" COVID-19 vaccines, dropping a broad recommendation for all children to get vaccinated against the virus.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently announced more key changes to the CDC recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination. Two health experts answer questions about what the changes mean.

Insurance coverage typically follows federal recommendations, so anyone who is healthy and under 65 is likely to have to pay out of pocket to get the shot ‒ which runs about $200 ‒ if they can get it. It's not clear what insurance companies will do about the new recommendations.

India reported 685 new COVID-19 cases between Friday and Saturday, along with four deaths, the official data showed.

Uncertainty now dominates the COVID vaccine outlook after official recommendations were stripped for a variety of groups.