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On Wednesday, members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to lower the recommended age for the pneumococcal vaccine from 65 to 50 and older. ... ACIP members also voted to recommend adults 65 and older get a second dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall. Eligible patients should ask their provider the best time to take an additional dose. Health experts say older adults are more likely to experience the worst consequences of the virus: They're more likely to develop more severe cases, be hospitalized and die. (Rodriguez, 10/23)

Two studies published today in Science Translational Medicine differ on whether COVID-19 vaccine boosters can trigger an immune response in mucous cells in the nose and mouth—a longtime goal of vaccine researchers. Despite the disparate findings, editorial writers say mucosal immunization could go further than current intramuscular COVID-19 vaccines by preventing infection altogether, disrupting viral transmission and the ability of the virus to evolve. (Van Beusekom, 10/23)

As winter approaches, health officials in the Bay Area are strongly encouraging residents to get vaccinated soon against both coronavirus and influenza. This is the ideal time for people to roll up their sleeves and get the shots in light of an expected winter respiratory virus surge, particularly due to the emergence of the XEC variant. “October is the perfect time to vaccinate against respiratory viruses like COVID-19, flu and RSV,” Marin County’s health department wrote in an update. (Vaziri, 10/23)

Colorado funeral home owners accused of misspending nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds and living lavishly, all while allegedly stashing 190 decaying bodies in a building and sending grieving families fake ashes, are expected to plead guilty to federal charges Thursday. Jon and Carie Hallford, owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home about an hour’s drive south of Denver, have been charged with 15 federal offenses related to defrauding the U.S. government and the funeral home’s customers. Additionally, over 200 criminal counts are already pending against them in Colorado state court, including for corpse abuse and forgery. (Bedayn, 10/24)

Orange County First District Supervisor Andrew Do agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in federal court relating to a scheme involving Viet America Society and the embezzlement of millions in COVID-relief funds intended to help the county’s most vulnerable residents during the pandemic. As part of his agreement, he resigned Tuesday from the Board of Supervisors. (Torres, Saavedra and Slaten, 10/23)