Trump policies at odds with emerging understanding of Covid’s long-term harm

KFF Health News – Tuesday, January 27, 2026
By Stephanie Armour

Possible risk of autism in children. Dormant cancer cells awakening. Accelerating aging of the brain.

Federal officials in May 2023 declared an end to the national covid pandemic. But more than two years later, a growing body of research continues to reveal information about the virus and its ability to cause harm long after initial infections resolve, even in some cases when symptoms were mild.

The discoveries raise fresh concerns about the Trump administration’s covid policies, researchers say. While some studies show covid vaccines offer protective benefits against longer-term health effects, the Department of Health and Human Services has drastically limited recommendations about who should get the shot. The administration also halted Biden-era contracts aimed at developing more protective covid vaccines.

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