Medical experts called the decision “devastating to children’s health”

Long Island medical experts say the decision by a federal vaccine advisory committee to change the recommendations for when an infant should receive the hepatitis B vaccine will lead to more cases of the disease and is particularly concerning on Long Island,

Georgia Representatives Nikema Williams and Hank Johnson are among a group of more than 30 Democratic lawmakers urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep its long-standing recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth.

As hepatitis B research progresses, achieving higher functional cure rates is becoming more feasible. It is vital that policymakers set clear elimination targets for hepatitis B, coordinate efforts, enhance surveillance, and create supportive regulatory environments to support this.