Currently, getting a yearly COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, regardless of their health risk.
In the video announcing the plan to remove the vaccine from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and healthy pregnant women, Kennedy spoke alongside National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. The trio cited a lack of evidence to support vaccinating healthy children. They did not explain the reason for the change to the vaccine schedule for pregnant people, who have previously been considered at high-risk for severe COVID-19.
Similarly, in the FDA announcement made a week prior, Makary and the agency’s head of vaccines, Vinay Prasad, said that public health trends now support limiting vaccines to people at high risk of serious illness instead of a universal COVID-19 vaccination strategy.
Was this a controversial decision or a clear consensus?
Many public health experts and professional health care associations have raised concerns about Kennedy’s latest announcement, saying it contradicts studies showing that COVID-19 vaccination benefits pregnant people and children. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, considered the premier professional organization for that medical specialty, reinforced the importance of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, especially to protect infants after birth. Likewise, the American Academy of Pediatrics pointed to the data on hospitalizations of children with COVID-19 during the 2024-to-2025 respiratory virus season as evidence for the importance of vaccination.
Kennedy’s announcement on children and pregnant women comes roughly a month ahead of a planned meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel of vaccine experts that offers guidance to the CDC on vaccine policy. The meeting was set to review guidance for the 2025-to-2026 COVID-19 vaccines. It’s not typical for the CDC to alter its recommendations without input from the committee.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed COVID-19 vaccines from the vaccine schedule for healthy children and pregnant people.
FDA officials Makary and Prasad also strayed from past established vaccine regulatory processes in announcing the FDA’s new stance on recommendations for healthy people under age 65. Usually, the FDA broadly approves a vaccine based on whether it is safe and effective, and decisions on who should be eligible to receive it are left to the CDC, which bases its decision on the advisory committee’s research-based guidance.
The advisory committee was expected to recommend a risk-based approach for the COVID-19 vaccine, but it was also expected to recommend allowing low-risk people to get annual COVID-19 vaccines if they want to. The CDC’s and FDA’s new policies on the vaccine will likely make it difficult for healthy people to get the vaccine.
Will low-risk people be able to get a COVID-19 shot?
Not automatically. Kennedy’s announcement does not broadly address healthy adults, but under the new FDA framework, healthy adults who wish to receive the fall COVID-19 vaccine will likely face obstacles. Health care providers can administer vaccines “off-label”, but insurance coverage is widely based on FDA recommendations. The new, narrower FDA approval will likely reduce both access to COVID-19 vaccines for the general public and insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines.
Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance providers are required to fully cover the cost of any vaccine endorsed by the CDC. Kennedy’s announcement will likely limit insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccination.
Overall, the move to focus on individual risks and benefits may overlook broader public health benefits. Communities with higher vaccination rates have fewer opportunities to spread the virus.
This is an updated version of an article originally published on May 22, 2025.Libby Richards, Professor of Nursing, Purdue University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
MALMÖ, Sweden /PRNewswire/ — Guided by the vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people, Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, is stepping up efforts to support customers with low price while ensuring long-term growth. In many IKEA markets around the world*, the price of restaurant meals will be halved Monday through Friday, and children will eat for free.
IKEA reduces food prices (photo credit IKEA)
With hundreds of millions of guests visiting IKEA restaurants every year, the company aims to inspire a better everyday life through food that is healthier, more sustainable, and affordable. As part of ongoing investments in the in-store experience, Ingka Group is introducing this price drop to help people stretch their budgets, nourish their families, and find a little more joy.
For example, in France, the price of lunch for a family of four, which includes two hot-meals with meatballs for adults and two meals for kids, will cost EUR 6.96 instead of EUR 19.9. In addition, all restaurant guests will receive a EUR 5 voucher to use in-store.
“Food has always been very important for IKEA, and we wanted to enable even more people to enjoy our restaurant offer while exploring our home furnishing range,” says Tolga Öncü, Ingka Retail Manager (COO) at IKEA Retail (Ingka Group). “Securing the lowest possible price for our products is always our utmost goal, and this is even more important in today’s times of economic uncertainties and cost-of-living pressures.”
At the same time, IKEA is refreshing its food offer with new dishes inspired by Asian flavours, expanding affordable, healthy options for customers.
“We always look for ways to bring more variety to our food offer, especially with new plant-based options,” says Lorena Lourido Gomez, Global Food Manager, IKEA Retail (Ingka Group). “We will soon launch our very first falafel, adding this popular food to our restaurants and, later, to our Swedish Food Markets. Good quality, low price, and making a positive difference for the planet – those ingredients remain a guiding star for our food business.”
Heading toward the end of FY25, IKEA remains focused on helping customers make the most of their finances while delivering value through both food and home furnishing.
*Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, UK.
Slate Auto made waves in early 2025 by announcing an electric pickup truck with a revolutionary promise: a starting price under $20,000. With a minimalist, modular design and direct-to-consumer sales model, the company hoped to disrupt the industry by delivering a rugged, no-frills EV that everyday drivers could actually afford.
But that promise may now be broken.
In July 2025, the newly passed “Big Beautiful Bill” from President Donald Trump eliminated the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, a cornerstone of Slate’s pricing model. And as of now, Slate has quietly removed its sub-$20K price claims, signaling a dramatic shift in its market positioning.
What Was the Original Plan?
Slate Auto’s vision was simple:
Base price of the pickup: ~$25,000 Subtract $7,500 tax credit → final cost: $17,500 Optional bolt-on accessories and upgrades for customization
This formula positioned the Slate truck as a compelling solution for tradespeople, students, rural drivers, and eco-conscious buyers seeking low-cost alternatives to gas trucks.
What Changed?
The Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” passed in July 2025, includes a provision that eliminates all federal EV tax credits starting September 30, 2025. That means:
No more $7,500 off at the point of sale Budget EVs like Slate’s are left to float—or sink—on their true retail pricing EV industry analysts warn of broader slowdowns in adoption
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For Slate, it means their truck is no longer “America’s first under-$20K EV pickup.” Instead, the expected price now ranges from $25,000 to $27,500, and could rise to $35K with add-ons—putting it closer to competitors like the Ford Maverick Hybrid and Chevy Equinox EV.
The Fallout
This change hits hard for Slate, which built its brand on simplicity and accessibility. Without the tax credit:
Entry-level customers are priced out Preorder holders may cancel based on unexpected price hikes Market differentiation is weakened, as affordability was Slate’s primary value proposition
Meanwhile, critics argue the rollback of tax credits slows EV adoption at a critical time in the climate fight. Environmental groups and consumer advocates are already pushing back, saying the bill disproportionately hurts low- and middle-income Americans who were just beginning to consider electric vehicles.
What’s Next for Slate?
Slate says it still plans to begin production in late 2026, but without the EV credit, it must rework its pricing strategy and value offering. Possibilities include:
Offering fewer standard features Creating stripped-down fleet or worksite models Lobbying for state-level incentives to offset federal losses
Whether these changes will be enough to keep Slate competitive remains to be seen.
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Final Thoughts
The electric vehicle space is undergoing seismic shifts, and the demise of the federal EV tax credit is likely to create ripple effects across the industry. For Slate Auto, the dream of a sub-$20K EV pickup may be over—but if they can pivot wisely, the company could still carve out a niche in the fast-evolving electric truck market.
Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter. https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/
In an exciting development for astronomers and space enthusiasts alike, scientists have confirmed the discovery of a new interstellar object—officially named 3I/ATLAS—currently passing through our solar system. This marks only the third known object from another star system to visit us, following the mysterious ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and the icy 2I/Borisov in 2019.
The object was first detected on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS telescope in Chile. Initially cataloged as A11pl3Z, further analysis confirmed that its speed and orbital trajectory are hyperbolic—meaning it’s not bound by the Sun’s gravity and is merely passing through, just like its rare predecessors.
What Do We Know About 3I/ATLAS?
Origin: The object’s interstellar origin is confirmed by its high velocity—traveling at around 60 km/s (37 miles per second)—and its hyperbolic orbit. Composition: Unlike ‘Oumuamua, which sparked debate due to its lack of a visible tail, 3I/ATLAS appears to be a comet, exhibiting a faint coma and short dust tail. Size: The comet’s nucleus could be as large as 10 kilometers (6 miles) across, though dust and debris around it may be inflating those estimates. Distance from Earth: It will come no closer than 150 to 240 million miles, posing no threat to our planet. Visibility: It’s currently about 420 million miles from the Sun and will reach its closest approach (perihelion) around October 29–30, 2025. After briefly disappearing behind the Sun, it may reappear for additional observation in December.
🚨 A comet from another star system is flying through our solar system right now! 🌠 Meet 3I/ATLAS — only the 3rd interstellar object ever seen! 👽✨ SpaceTok 3IATLAS Oumuamua Interstellar ScienceTok AstronomyFacts DidYouKnow CosmicVisitor #STMDailyNews https://stmdailynews.com/a-new-interstell…our-solar-system/ ♬ original sound – STMDailyNews – STMDailyNews
Why Interstellar Objects Matter
Interstellar objects are not just celestial curiosities—they are time capsules carrying information about the environments where they formed, likely in entirely different star systems. Their compositions, movements, and structures give scientists rare glimpses into the diversity of planetary building blocks in our galaxy.
‘Oumuamua puzzled scientists with its unusual shape and lack of comet-like activity, while 2I/Borisov looked more like a traditional comet. Now, 3I/ATLAS gives us another chance to compare and contrast these space travelers and deepen our understanding of how solar systems form and evolve.
Eyes on the Sky
Though faint and fast-moving, 3I/ATLAS is already being tracked by observatories around the world. With modern telescopes and tools that weren’t available even a decade ago, astronomers are optimistic about gathering unprecedented data on this rare visitor.
Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or a casual cosmic tourist, it’s thrilling to know that something from another solar system is soaring through our cosmic backyard—reminding us of the vastness and wonder of the universe.
Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter. https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/
🧠 Forgotten Genius Fridays
A Short-Form Series from The Knowledge by STM Daily News
Every Friday, STM Daily News shines a light on brilliant minds history overlooked.
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Forgotten Genius Fridays is a weekly collection of short videos and articles dedicated to inventors, innovators, scientists, and creators whose impact changed the world—but whose names were often left out of the textbooks.
From life-saving inventions and cultural breakthroughs to game-changing ideas buried by bias, our series digs up the truth behind the minds that mattered.
Each episode of The Knowledge runs 30–90 seconds, designed for curious minds on the go—perfect for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Reels, and quick reads.
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Because remembering these stories isn’t just about the past—it’s about restoring credit where it’s long overdue.
Get ready, Arizona pickleball fans—Dink & Dine Pickle Park is launching its first-ever location right here in Mesa! Set to open this summer at the Mesa Riverview (1017 N Dobson Rd), this […]
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