Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/acip-discontinues-universal-hepatitis-b-vaccination-at-birth-brics-launches-gold-backed-currency/
Economy
BRICS nations have officially launched their gold-backed “Unit” cross-boarder trade settlement currency, which operates on blockchain and facilitates real transactions alongside national currencies. The Unit comprises 40% gold and 60% from BRICS currencies, with pricing denominated in gold terms and no inclusion of bonds or debt. Officials described it as reminiscent of the 1944 Bretton Woods proposal for a gold-linked international currency, potentially serving as a bridge for global trade and contributing to a division of monetary zones between Eastern and Western economies. Daily pricing data indicates alignment with gold’s recent gains, supported by infrastructure projects such as mBridge and BRICS Pay. The system is designed to enable trade without reliance on gold reserves or networks like SWIFT. Western financial experts have expressed skepticism about the Unit’s prospects for broad adoption and its challenge to the US dollar.
The COMEX silver market saw a significant withdrawal of physical metal, with 9,527 futures contracts calling for delivery of 47.6 million ounces in the first four trading days of December 2025. This accounted for more than 60% of the registered inventory, which stood at 73.5 million ounces at the start of the period. The volume, valued at over $2.7 billion based on a price of $57 per ounce, reportedly reflects institutions exchanging paper claims for physical silver amid market backwardation, which indicates potential shortages. Demand is attributed to industrial uses in solar panels, electric vehicles, and 5G technology, as well as sovereign purchases by countries including India and China. Deliveries totaled 44.3 million ounces by the third day, surpassing recent monthly figures and nearing levels seen during the pandemic era. Silver prices have risen 94% year-to-date, showing a reported decoupling from derivatives markets affected by leveraged positions. Some market analysts, however, indicate that mechanisms like silver imports from global sources could mitigate any supply disruptions.
Health
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 8-3 to discontinue the 34-year policy of universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth, recommending instead that healthy infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers receive their first dose only after shared clinical decision-making with parents rather than automatically in the newborn nursery. Introduced in 1991 despite the virus being primarily transmitted through blood, sexual contact, or from infected mothers (a risk present in less than 0.5% of U.S. births), the universal birth-dose policy was justified at the time as a “safety net” against undiagnosed maternal infection and to establish early vaccination habits. Presented evidence showed the policy had minimal additional impact on already-declining population infection rates, which had fallen sharply before 1991 through targeted screening of pregnant women, immigrant vaccination, and behavioral changes; some studies have also raised questions about waning immunity in low-risk children, possible associations with autoimmune conditions, and the fact that more than one million birth doses may be required to prevent a single case of chronic infection or severe outcome. While the change immediately restores parental choice and does not alter current school-entry requirements, dissenting ACIP members and the American Academy of Pediatrics warned that reducing early coverage could lead to preventable hepatitis B cases in children.
Following the news, President Donald J. Trump issued a memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the CDC Director to review U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations, which address 18 diseases including COVID-19. The review compares the schedule to those in peer nations such as Denmark (10 diseases), Japan (14), and Germany (15). It calls for updates if international practices, backed by scientific evidence, demonstrate superiority, while ensuring continued vaccine access. Critics, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, maintain that the current schedule is supported by strong evidence and warn of risks to public health from alterations.
In other vaccine news, the Department of Health and Human Services initiated an investigation into a Midwest school accused of vaccinating a child without parental consent, disregarding a state-recognized religious exemption under the Vaccines for Children Program. The program requires adherence to state laws on consent. Officials stressed the importance of parental access to minors’ records, with possible fines for violations, and instructed grant recipients to follow consent rules for health services. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the agency would take action against providers who bypass parents or exemptions. Public health groups have cautioned that rigorous enforcement could complicate school vaccination efforts and public health outcomes.
In other news, a Government Accountability Office report documented ongoing fraud in Affordable Care Act exchanges, finding that 90% of undercover fictitious applicants were approved for subsidies in 2024 and 2025, even without documentation such as Social Security numbers or proof of citizenship. This resulted in over $10,000 in monthly unauthorized payments for the tested cases. Analysis of 2023 data identified more than $21 billion in unreconciled advance premium tax credits, with 29,000 Social Security numbers associated with excessive coverage—including one number linked to coverage equivalent to over 71 years. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported issuing monthly duplicate checks but acknowledged vulnerabilities due to identity theft and errors. The findings have fueled debates over the extension of enhanced subsidies. CMS has stated that fraud’s overall impact remains small relative to legitimate enrollments, with ongoing improvements to verification processes.
Privacy & Surveillance
A congressional hearing on online child protection shifted to discussions of age verification and digital identity requirements. Lawmakers from both parties advanced bills such as COPPA 2.0 and the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require identity checks for access to online platforms. Republicans highlighted the need for constitutional protections to avoid First Amendment violations, according to hearing records. Democrats described the proposals as inadequate for content moderation and enforcement, per statements from participants. Witnesses pointed to privacy risks in universal ID systems and proposed alternatives including facial recognition for age estimation, while raising concerns about the development of potentially insecure infrastructure for user tracking. Some advocates, such as Rep. Jan Schakowsky, have argued that the bills do not sufficiently address the need for robust child protections online.
A World Health Organization bulletin, funded in part by the Gates Foundation, proposed a digital identity system for tracking vaccines throughout an individual’s life, starting from birth. The system would integrate personal data with socioeconomic factors such as income, ethnicity, and religion to enable AI-driven efforts targeting unvaccinated individuals and combating misinformation. It would allow conditional access to services like education and travel based on digital vaccine proofs, with standards for global data interoperability and community surveillance via electronic registries. The proposal highlights features including reminders, alerts, and cross-sector profiling to support the Immunization Agenda 2030 objectives, while noting influences from donors such as the Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation has described such digital tools as vital for enhancing vaccine access and equity in underserved areas.
US Politics
The Supreme Court issued a stay on a lower court ruling, permitting Texas to implement its new congressional redistricting map for the 2026 elections. The map is projected to favor Republicans by adding five House seats. The court’s unsigned order cast doubt on claims of racial motivations behind the map, while acknowledging its partisan objectives. Dissenting justices argued that the map constitutes unconstitutional gerrymandering based on race. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott welcomed the decision, describing it as a affirmation of state rights in redistricting disputes.
In a related development, the Indiana House approved redrawn congressional maps that would eliminate all Democratic districts, advancing the proposal to the Senate amid broader national efforts to adjust electoral boundaries. Democrats in Indiana have criticized the maps as partisan gerrymandering that disenfranchises voters.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed legislation implementing a paid family and medical leave program, effective January 1, that extends benefits to illegal immigrants through taxpayer-funded payments. The program covers up to 20 weeks annually, providing 55% to 90% of wages, with a monthly cap of $5,692. The measure comes after a reported $1 billion fraud case involving Somali immigrants accused of diverting welfare funds through unperformed services, resulting in 59 convictions. Federal prosecutors have warned that such incidents could erode public confidence in social programs. Walz addressed fraud concerns by expressing trust in Minnesotans, despite what he described as minimal eligibility checks and the allocation of outreach grants targeting immigrants and minorities. Policy experts cited as critics have questioned the funding of benefits for individuals not legally residing in the state, while proponents maintain that eligibility is based on contributions from payroll taxes. Supporters, including the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, note that the program is funded through payroll taxes paid by all participating workers, regardless of immigration status.
Sources
Walz’s Paid Leave Bonanza for Illegal Immigrants Fuels Fraud Fears in Fraud-Ridden Minnesota
“No one will support these programs if they continue to be riddled with fraud,”
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Historic Comex Silver Drain: 47.6 Million Ounces Demanded, Signaling Imminent Physical Squeeze
According to this data, the silver squeeze is no longer a rumor. It’s not a future possibility. It is a current event.
Source | Submitted by PhilH
WHO’s Gates-Backed Blueprint: Global Digital IDs for Lifelong Vaccine Tracking and AI Surveillance
the World Health Organization (WHO) is proposing a globally interoperable digital-identity infrastructure that permanently tracks every individual’s vaccination status from birth.
GAO Report Exposes Obamacare Fraud: 90% of Fake Applicants Approved for Subsidies
90% of those fake applicants were approved for subsidized coverage despite lacking required documentation.
As Expected: Kids Online Safety Hearing Morphs into Digital ID Blueprint
The hearing was supposedly about protecting children, but every fix circled back to tagging and tracking everyone.
Why Every Newborn Faces the Controversial Hepatitis B Vaccine Mandate
The hepatitis B vaccine has been marred by controversy since its inception, particularly since it is now given to every newborn child despite less than one in a million children benefitting from this policy.
Source | Submitted by PhilH
BRICS Launches Gold-Backed “Unit”: Echoes of Bretton Woods Signal Shift in Global Trade
The Bricks have successfully launched their new unit of account called the Unit or simply Unit, and it is gold-backed.
Source | Submitted by Shplad
HHS Investigates Midwest School for Vaccinating Child Without Parental Consent, Ignoring Religious Exemption
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Dec. 3 that it has launched an investigation into a school that officials said illegally vaccinated a child without parental consent.
Supreme Court Greenlights Texas’s Pro-GOP Redistricting Map for 2026 Elections
Supreme Court Allows Texas To Use A Congressional Map Favorable To Republicans In 2026
ACIP Ends Universal Hepatitis B Birth Dose After 34 Years, Empowering Parental Choice
ACIP, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, just voted 8–3 to end the universal Hepatitis B birth-dose recommendation and move instead to shared decision-making for infants born to hepatitis-B–negative mothers.
Indiana House Passes Redrawn Maps Eliminating All Democratic Congressional Districts
These new maps effectively ELIMINATE every single Democrat Congressional district in the state.
Trump Directs Review of US Childhood Vaccine Schedule to Align with Peer Nations
In January 2025, the United States recommended vaccinating all children for 18 diseases, including COVID-19, making our country a high outlier in the number of vaccinations recommended for all children.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Indiana Democratic Party, Bloomberg, U.S. Financial News, Gates Foundation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), American Academy of Pediatrics, and Public Health Watch.