Got Your Shots? News: August 2026

Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 08/31/2026 08:12 AM CDT
Minnesota Department of Health

Got Your Shots? News

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August 31, 2026

In This Edition

Helping families navigate questions about childhood immunizations

You may be seeing an increase in questions from patients about childhood immunizations. For many families, questions about vaccines come from a desire to do what is best for their children. Taking time to listen and provide clear, trustworthy information can help families feel more confident in their decisions.

Seek to understand patients’ questions and concerns People fall on a spectrum of vaccine confidence. Many people who have questions are not opposed to vaccines—they are looking for answers. Vaccine confidence is not built through facts or science alone. How you show up to the conversation, with curiosity, respect, and empathy, can often be more impactful than the information you share at the end. Consider asking, “What is your biggest question or concern right now?” Then listen, acknowledge their feelings, affirm their desire to make the best choice for their child and ask for permission before sharing information. A calm, respectful conversation can be more effective than trying to address every concern at once. Here are a few questions you may be hearing:

What vaccines are recommended for my child?

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) continues to endorse the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for childhood immunizations. These recommendations are based on extensive evidence about the benefits and safety of vaccination. For more information, visit Vaccine Recommendations and Access for Minnesotans.

The recommended schedule is carefully designed around when children are most vulnerable to specific diseases and when protection is needed to prevent infection. Vaccines are tested in the age groups for which they are recommended, including when they are given at the same time as other vaccines on the schedule. Following the recommended schedule helps children develop their own protection before they are exposed to diseases. Delaying or spacing out vaccines without a medical reason can leave children vulnerable and may increase the chance of missed or delayed doses.

Can my child really handle that many vaccines?

The number of vaccines recommended during childhood does not overwhelm or weaken the immune system. Children are exposed to many more antigens (substances that trigger a body’s immune system to start a defense response) through everyday activities than they encounter from vaccines. Although the number of recommended vaccines has increased over time, the total amount of antigen in vaccines has decreased substantially. Studies have found no evidence that receiving multiple vaccines at the same visit harms or weakens the immune system. Following the recommended immunization schedule helps ensure children are protected when they need protection most.

Should the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine be three separate vaccines?

The MMR vaccine has been used for more than 50 years and has been extensively studied. It protects against measles, mumps and rubella—three serious diseases that can cause complications, including pneumonia and brain inflammation from measles, hearing loss from mumps, and serious birth defects when rubella occurs during pregnancy. The MMR vaccine combines protection against all three diseases in a single shot, reducing the number of injections and visits needed and helping children stay on schedule. There is no evidence that separating MMR into three vaccines would make vaccination safer or more effective. Single-disease versions are not licensed or routinely available in the United States. The MMR vaccine has a strong safety record; most side effects are mild, and serious reactions are extremely rare. If families have questions about MMR vaccine, Does Splitting MMR Into 3 Vaccines Serve Public Health? is a helpful resource.

Keep the conversation going

Questions are a good thing. They mean families are thinking, seeking information and trying to make the best decisions for their children. You don’t need to have every answer. What matters is creating a space where families feel comfortable bringing their questions to you without fear of judgement. When families feel heard and respected, you have an opportunity to build trust and help them make informed decisions. Listen with curiosity. Acknowledge their concerns. Share reliable information. Your willingness to have the conversation can make a difference. For more information visit:

Minnesota Immunization Champion

MDH is proud to recognize Mary Langworthy, Health Services Coordinator of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district, as Minnesota’s 2026 Immunization Champion. For the 2025-26 school year, Mary and the health services team conducted outreach to families about back-to-school vaccines, organized school-located immunization clinics with local partners, and trained school health staff on how to confidently and effectively support families with empathy and professionalism. In seven months, almost all 6,000 students not in compliance with school immunization requirements received their back-to-school vaccines or submitted the appropriate exemption paperwork. To learn more about this extraordinary achievement to protect student health, visit Minnesota immunization champion creates healthier communities through immunization education and access.

Measles has reached our border states

Measles continues to spread globally and nationally, with more than 2,700 cases reported in the United States this year. Wisconsin and Iowa are currently experiencing rapidly spreading outbreaks, and now is the time to prepare for and prevent outbreaks in Minnesota.

MMR vaccination is the best way to stop measles and limit its spread. Healthcare providers should assess MMR vaccination status at every patient visit and consider recalling those who are not up-to-date with their MMR vaccine using the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) Client Follow-up.

For international travelers and patients traveling to areas within the U.S. experiencing a measles outbreak:

  • Infants 6 to 11 months old can receive an early MMR dose.
  • Children 1 to 4 years of age may receive an early second MMR dose if at least 28 days have passed since their first dose.
  • Adults born in or after 1957 without evidence of immunity should receive two doses of MMR.

Clinicians should consider measles in travelers returning with fever, rash, cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis. If measles is suspected, notify MDH immediately at 651-201-5414. Review your organization’s procedures for testing, infection control, reporting, and post-exposure prophylaxis. Think about whether your facility should stock immune globulin (IG) or establish access to a supply if needed. Especially if you routinely care for infants, pregnant or severely immunocompromised patients who may require measles post-exposure prophylaxis. IG provides short-term protection and is not a substitute for vaccination.

For information on measles disease, healthy travel, measles vaccine, and informational videos on the MMR vaccine visit Measles (Rubeola)

Fall respiratory vaccine updates

The Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP) is expected to release their review of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines in Evidence Reviews. This information can be used by professional medical organizations to make decisions regarding immunization recommendations for the 2026-27 respiratory season. MDH respiratory vaccination guides and updated vaccination protocol templates will be available on Immunization Best Practices. To sign up for updates visit Influenza Vaccine Information for Health Professionals and enter your email.

New mRNA influenza vaccine

The FDA has approved MFLUSIVA, the first mRNA-based influenza vaccine in the U.S. It is approved for adults 50 years of age and older. This vaccine is found to be 27% more effective than standard-dose influenza vaccine for adults in this age group. It provides another option for protecting older adults against influenza and its complications. Patients are more likely to experience mild, short-term side effects from the mRNA influenza vaccine than other vaccine products. However, these symptoms generally only lasted one to two days and no serious safety concerns were identified.

RSV season begins

Sept. 1 marks the start of maternal RSV vaccination for eligible pregnant patients. A single dose administered between 32-36 weeks' gestation can help protect infants from severe RSV illness during their first months of an infant’s life. Infants who are not protected through maternal vaccination can receive RSV monoclonal antibody (mAb) products beginning Oct. 1. Recent studies have shown that both maternal vaccination and infant RSV mAbs are very effective against RSV in hospitalized infants. For more information visit Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Information for Health Professionals.

MnVFC influenza and RSV mAb shipping now

MnVFC influenza vaccine for the 2026-27 season started shipping earlier this month and RSV mAbs will begin shipping at the end of this month. We will continue to ship orders as doses become available from the manufacturers. MnVFC-enrolled providers can submit additional requests for doses at any time in MIIC.

HPV vaccine: How many doses is enough?

In January the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new immunization schedule, drastically reducing the number of routinely recommended vaccines for children and adolescents, including the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. While a federal court order issued in March put these changes on hold, these recent actions have prompted renewed discussion about the HPV vaccine.

In May, the Vaccine Integrity Project: Evidence Review released HPV Vaccine Resources. It’s a comprehensive and systematic literature review evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine that strongly supports two doses of HPV vaccine for adolescents initiating the series at 9-14 years of age, and three doses for those initiating the series at 15 years or older.

Reducing the series to a single dose of the HPV vaccine is not recommended for adolescents in the U.S. While emerging evidence suggests that a single dose may provide similar clinical protection in females, current research is insufficient in determining whether one dose provides long-term cancer protection or is effective in males.

MDH continues to endorse immunization schedules from the AAP and American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP). These schedules are consistent with the VIP’s evidence review supporting a two or three dose series depending on the age at initial vaccination. For more information, visit Vaccine Recommendations and Access for Minnesotans.

Immunize Minnesota coalition

Immunize Minnesota is the new statewide immunization coalition focused on ensuring access, improving immunization rates, and increasing vaccine confidence through education and partnership. The coalition grew from Minnesota Public Health Association (MPHA)’s “Vaccinations in Minnesota” Workgroup. MDH serves as a non-voting technical advisor on Immunize Minnesota’s steering committee, led by co-chairs, Munira Malimisaq, NP and CEO of Inspire Change Clinic, and Caleb Schultz, MD, community and public health advocate.

Immunize Minnesota held its first official meeting on Aug. 10. Everyone is invited to attend the meetings held on the second Mondays of every month. Visit Immunize Minnesota to learn more about the people and organizations dedicated to protecting all Minnesotans from vaccine-preventable diseases, and how you can participate.

MDH varicella team published

The vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) surveillance team recently published a paper in the journal Public Health Reports that analyzed the Impact of the 2024 Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists’ (CSTE) Varicella Case Definition and Classification on Varicella Cases Reported in Minnesota. Case definitions and classifications are definitions published by CSTE to establish a national, standardized definition of what is considered a true case of chickenpox.

The updated definition improves the VPD surveillance program’s ability to capture and define chickenpox cases in the era of varicella immunization, in which a large proportion of all cases are milder breakthrough cases occurring in vaccinated people. The new definition highlights the importance of laboratory confirmation, given that breakthrough cases can be easily mistaken for other rash illnesses.

New tools: MMR coverage, measles, and varicella (chickenpox)

With measles cases continuing to rise nationally, MDH's VPD section and the Midwest Analytics and Disease Modeling Center (MADMC) released the “Midwest EpiView: MMR Coverage and Measles” tool in April. It is a timely resource for tracking measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage and measles case trends statewide.

Building on that tool, “Midwest EpiView: Chickenpox (Varicella)” was launched in early August. This interactive dashboard lets users explore varicella vaccination coverage statewide in schools (by grade level) and childcares, and chickenpox case data by county and age (2013–2025). With varicella vaccination coverage on the decline, the tool helps health departments, school nurses, and immunization coordinators pinpoint where to focus their outreach.

Access both tools and other resources on School of Public Health University of Minnesota Midwest Analytics and Disease Modeling Center (MADMC): Analytic Tools & Resources. 

New vaccine resources to note

Find previous newsletters at Got Your Shots? News.