Until now, the vaccinations had been recommended as a routine step in the fall for nearly all Americans who wanted them — just like a yearly flu vaccine.

As a group of advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met this week to discuss recommendations on who should get the updated Covid-19 shot this season, a newly published analysis from dozens of researchers emphasizes the “substantial” benefits of broad vaccine recommendations.

On Sept. 18, ACIP voted to no longer recommend a combination vaccine that targets measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chicken pox) to children under 4 years old. Although this does not impact guidance for the separate MMR and varicella vaccines, health experts worry the change will sow confusion and mistrust.

Many pharmacies in the Boise area say they’re only doling out the COVID-19 booster to elderly and at-risk populations.

Four Democratic-led Western states announced joint recommendations about who should be vaccinated for seasonal respiratory viruses.

The West Coast Health Alliance, formed of California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii, has released new vaccine guidelines one day before the CDC's policy meeting.