As the threat of measeles looms large, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory meeting gets rescheduled!

The CDC’s (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) vaccine advisory meeting has been rescheduled. The meeting, which was originally scheduled for February was postponed.
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services said that the meeting will happen in April. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) workgroups have continued to meet and will present their findings at the rescheduled April 15-16 meeting. The meeting will also include a measles update, the spokesman said. The full agenda will be posted at a later date.
This upcoming meeting is significant as it will be the first since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took office as HHS Secretary. The ACIP was scheduled to happen on Feb. 25 and 26. The postponement interestingly came a week after RFK Jr. was confirmed as HHS Secretary.

Health experts and commentators raised concerns about the postponement of the meeting given the committee's role in reviewing scientific data and making vaccine recommendations that influence CDC policy, healthcare practices, and insurance coverage. RFK J.’s previous vaccine skeptic views also fueled concerns, however, HHS said the meeting was delayed to accommodate public comment.
Each year, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) convenes three regular meetings to assess scientific data and vote on vaccine recommendations for the CDC director. The draft agenda for the postponed meeting indicated that the committee planned to review several vaccines, including GSK’s meningococcal vaccine and AstraZeneca’s flu shot. The meeting was also expected to include multiple votes, one of which focused on how a key government vaccine distribution program should manage influenza inoculations.
The upcoming meeting is crucial, especially in the wake of the current measles outbreak. As of Mar. 13, the number of measles cases in the US has climbed to 301, according to . The cases were reported by 15 jurisdictions - Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. This year’s outbreak has also claimed one life, and one is currently under investigation. CDC also confirmed that 95% of the infected individuals are unvaccinated (and vaccination status unknown). Also, individuals below the age of 18 were mostly affected by the outbreak.

Community vaccination is the best way to stop the spread of measles, according to WHO. Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death. It can affect anyone but is most common in children. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected.