Trump policies at odds with emerging understanding of COVID's long-term harm

"Possible risk of autism in children. Dormant cancer cells awakening. Accelerating aging of the brain. Federal officials in May 2023 declared an end to the national COVID pandemic. But more than two years later, a growing body of research continues to reveal information about the virus and its ability to cause harm long after initial infections resolve, even in some cases when symptoms were mild."

"While some studies show COVID vaccines offer protective benefits against longer-term health effects, the Department of Health and Human Services has drastically limited recommendations about who should get the shot. The administration also halted Biden-era contracts aimed at developing more protective COVID vaccines. The federal government is curtailing such efforts just as researchers call for more funding and, in some cases, long-term monitoring of people previously infected."

"People forget, but the legacy of COVID is going to be long, and we are going to be learning about the chronic effects of the virus for some time to come, said Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist who directs the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. The Trump administration said that the COVID vaccine remains available and that individuals are encouraged to talk with their health providers about what is best for them."

Emerging research links prior COVID infection to potential long-term harms including possible increased autism risk, reactivation of dormant cancer cells, and accelerated brain aging. Federal officials declared the national COVID pandemic over in May 2023, yet studies continue to document chronic effects even after mild infections. Some evidence indicates COVID vaccines can reduce longer-term health risks, but the Department of Health and Human Services has sharply limited vaccine recommendations and halted contracts for developing more protective vaccines. The federal government has scaled back certain efforts despite calls for additional funding and long-term monitoring of previously infected individuals. HHS has emphasized vaccine availability and insurance coverage while framing guidance changes as restoring informed, shared clinical decision-making.

Read at kffhealthnews.org