April 5, 2026

Vaccine Safety: HBV, RSV, and Measles

Hepatitis B

Caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis B is a serious and preventable disease that attacks the liver. The disease spreads through contact with blood and other bodily fluids. This highly contagious infection typically ranges from mild and short-term (acute) to severe and long-term (chronic).

Because hepatitis B can be passed down from the mother to the baby, infants have a 90% chance of developing a severe and long-term hepatitis B infection. The need to protect ourselves from this virus begins at birth.

The virus can lead to cirrhosis (serious scarring of the liver), liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), liver failure, and death. 70% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is caused by Hepatitis B and C. This liver cancer is entirely preventable with vaccination, alcohol moderation, and a normal weight. HCC is the most common form of liver cancer and is responsible for almost 900,000 deaths annually.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of hepatitis B vary. To name a few, HBV symptoms may include fever, joint pain, jaundice, dark urine, and pain in the abdomen. You or your child may also not have any symptoms, even if infected. Half of the people who have hepatitis B do not even know they have it and can transmit it to other people. The California Department of Public Health strongly recommends that all children receive the hepatitis B vaccine and all unimmunized adults have regular hepatitis B and C screenings. Everyone should contact their doctor if they believe they have this virus.

How can we protect ourselves from HBV?

Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect ourselves from hepatitis B. There is no strong evidence to suggest that the hepatitis B vaccine causes autoimmune disorders. Despite the opinions of prominent influencers, thevaccine is safe and effective.

All infants and children under 19 years of age who have not received the vaccine should get vaccinated as soon as possible. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants are recommended to receive their first vaccine dose at birth, their second dose at 1-2 months of age, and then their third dose at 6-18 months of age.

RSV, also known as “Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection.”

Before RSV immunizations, RSV was the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the United States.

What is RSV? RSV is a common respiratory virus that begins with cold-like symptoms. It causes severe wheezing, pneumonia, and, if untreated, death. It is dangerous for every infant and child under two years of age.

Watch the following video for more information about RSV.

What is the best way to protect ourselves from RSV?

There are two ways to protect your baby from getting very sick with RSV. The CDC recommends doing one of the two options to protect your baby from getting severely sick from this virus, as most babies do not need both:

An RSV vaccine given to the mother during pregnancy
- If you are 32-36 weeks pregnant during the RSV season, which starts in September through January for most of the United States
An RSV antibody given to infants and some older babies
- Particularly if your baby is younger than 8 months and born during, or entering, their first RSV season
- Recommended for children between the ages of 8 and 19 months entering their second RSV season who are in at least one of these groups:
  - Children who have chronic lung disease from being born prematurely
  - Children who are severely immunocompromised
  - Children with cystic fibrosis who have severe disease
  - American Indian and Alaska Native children

If you receive an RSV vaccine while pregnant, your baby will have protection and, in most cases, should not need an RSV immunization later. In rare cases, a healthcare provider may determine that an RSV immunization is needed for an infant even though the mother received an RSV vaccine.

RSV immunizations are safe and effective. Getting you or your baby vaccinated will protect your baby from the severity of the illness, hospitalizations, and death. By protecting your baby, you protect yourself and the family. Adults ages 50-74 with certain underlying medical conditions and weakened immune systems, and adults ages 75 and older are at higher risk for severe RSV illness. Every year, there are an estimated 110,000-180,000 hospitalizations for adults ages 50 and older. Additionally, the CDC estimates that there are 6,000-10,000 RSV-associated deaths among older adults. Getting your RSV immunization at the beginning and at the end of life is vital to the health of our society.

Read more about vaccine hesitancy here.

Measles

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that is characterized by fever, severe runny nose, very red eyes, a very wet cough, and a blotchy, red rash that follows. Read here to learn more about measles.

As of April 2, 2026, there have been 1,671 cases of measles this year alone in the United States. The vast majority of these cases have been in South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Utah, Arizona, and now Northern California. Of those 1,487 cases, a significant majority (92%) occurred in unvaccinated individuals or those with an unknown vaccination record. Additionally, 73% of cases occurred in children younger than 20 years of age. Click here to see updated reports of measles cases and immunization status.

Vaccine acceptance should be a matter of scientifically proven safety and efficacy. Unfortunately, vaccine safety has become politicized and divorced from generally accepted scientific evidence. As a result, local epidemics tend to be concentrated in like-minded areas and states. If you reside in one of these areas, it is even more important to maintain your immunization status.

How can we protect ourselves from measles?

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect ourselves and our children from getting sick. Getting two recommended doses of measles protects you from developing a deep lung infection, brain damage, and death.

The MMR vaccine (which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella) is safe and effective. Additionally, receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine essentially protects you for life against the disease!

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