Mandy Oaklander | August 19, 2026

It's been a big month for mRNA vaccines. Earlier in August, Moderna's mRNA-based flu shot won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and today, Moderna and Merck announced that an experimental mRNA-based therapy is effective against melanoma in some patients. The researchers are now testing the therapy against lung cancer, my colleague Alice Park reports.

The results are early, but they show promise for more personalized approaches to cancer treatment.

TODAY’S TOPICS

Flu before boo
Your faux-pas fix
We want to hear from you!
Ukraine’s blood-supply lesson

QUICK CHAT

Which shots, when?

With flu season approaching, pediatricians are concerned that recent White House recommendations to change the childhood vaccine schedule could create more confusion for parents deciding which shots their children need.

The Trump Administration says it doesn't recommend seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines for all children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), however, continues to recommend annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, as well as COVID-19 shots for all infants aged 6 months to 23 months and some older children.

Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine physician in Rochester, N.Y., and an AAP spokesperson, shared the vaccine advice she’s giving parents ahead of this fall’s respiratory-virus season. —Dominique Mosbergen, Health Correspondent

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Joe Scherschel—Getty Images

What impact do you think the White House vaccine recommendations will have on vaccine uptake?

This is another example of unnecessary confusion that parents will have to tackle. It’s easy for someone to misunderstand and think there’s new information here, but the reality is that the rigorous science on vaccine safety hasn’t changed.

With flu season approaching, what shots do you recommend children get—and when?

I recommend that all children over 6 months get the flu vaccine and that children who need them get COVID-19 shots and boosters.

Last season, 87% of children who died from the flu were not vaccinated. We always say, “flu before boo”—get the flu vaccine before Halloween. This year’s vaccine should be available in September, so get it when you can after that. Remember that it takes about two weeks for these vaccines to have their full effect.

Any other vaccine advice for parents?

With the ongoing measles outbreak, make sure your children are immunized. If your child is under age 1, talk to your doctor. Depending on how much measles is circulating where you live, your doctor may recommend an earlier dose.

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TIME TO TALK

How to recover from an embarrassing faux pas

Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Giulio Fornasar—Getty Images)

We’ve all said something that we immediately wish we could take back. The good news: Most awkward moments are repairable. A sincere apology can go a long way—as long as you resist the urge to keep talking your way out of it.

Keep it simple

When embarrassment hits, you may want to explain what you meant or defend your intentions. Instead, focus on the other person: “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed,” or “I can see that my joke was insensitive. I apologize.” Skip responses like “I was only joking” or “You took it the wrong way,” which can minimize the impact of what was said. Take responsibility, then leave room for them to respond.

Match the apology to the moment

A forgotten name might need only a quick apology. A more painful remark may call for a longer conversation, an effort to make amends, or time. But don’t turn a minor mistake into an apology marathon—the more you apologize, the more the moment becomes about easing your discomfort. When you meet again, be warm and act normally. Recovering gracefully means recognizing the harm, repairing what you can, and letting everyone move forward.

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PLEASE ADVISE

Ask the health team

Have a burning health or wellness question? Wondering how to handle a tricky social situation? Please write to healthmatters@time.com, and we’ll weigh in weekly in the newsletter.

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WHAT WE’RE READING

President Trump has tapped Dr. Heidi Overton—a White House aide, abortion-rights opponent, and Make America Healthy Again supporter—to head the FDA, report Ali Swenson and Matthew Perrone for the Associated Press.
A growing number of companies are handing people cash instead of giving them health insurance, Jonathan Small writes for Entrepreneur.
The U.S. is in the midst of a blood-supply crisis. A new international study highlights what the U.S. could learn from war-ravaged Ukraine, which has managed to maintain a self-sufficient blood supply.