Napa, CA — Scientists in California have confirmed the state’s first local case of the highly contagious NB.1.8.1 COVID-19 variant, raising concerns about a potential surge similar to those seen recently in China and parts of Europe.
The Stanford Clinical Virology Laboratory identified the new variant, which has been linked to a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations abroad. Hong Kong recently reported its highest number of COVID-19 cases in over a year, prompting heightened vigilance among California health officials.
The emergence of the NB.1.8.1 variant coincides with significant changes in federal COVID-19 vaccination policies. On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., joined by National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya and FDA Administrator Martin Makary, announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women from the recommended immunization schedule.
“This marks a pivotal step in reshaping America’s approach to COVID-19 vaccination,” Kennedy stated in a video posted on X. “We are now closer to fulfilling President Trump’s promise to make America healthy again.”
The new guidelines limit COVID-19 vaccine access primarily to seniors and individuals with underlying health conditions, effectively reducing eligibility for boosters among healthy populations. Insurance companies are also expected to cease coverage for vaccines administered to healthy children and pregnant women, complicating access to immunization for these groups.
The shift comes after years of evolving vaccine recommendations. During the previous administration, boosters were widely encouraged for children and pregnant women despite limited clinical data supporting repeated doses in these populations. The new policy is informed by a recent FDA framework published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which calls for larger, longer studies before updated vaccines are approved for healthier individuals.
“For many Americans, it remains unclear whether continued boosters are necessary,” said Dr. Vinay Prasad, who recently joined the FDA and has been a vocal critic of earlier vaccine approval processes.
In California, vaccination rates among children aged six months to 17 years reached 6.2 percent as of March 2025, showing a modest increase from previous years. Meanwhile, provisional data from the CDC reports over 47,000 COVID-related deaths nationwide in 2024, with 298 deaths recorded in California over the past three months.
In May, the FDA granted full approval to Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, but with stringent restrictions reflecting the broader cautious stance. This decision came after Trump-appointed officials intervened to limit eligibility, overruling earlier plans by FDA scientists.
As the state and country grapple with the arrival of the NB.1.8.1 variant and changing vaccine policies, public health authorities continue to monitor developments closely, balancing the risks of new variants against evolving scientific evidence.