Countries with greater progress toward UHC had smaller declines in childhood immunization coverage during COVID-19 pandemic
Multidose BCG Protects Against COVID-19 in At-Risk Individuals
Efficacy of 92 percent found among at-risk COVID-19-unvaccinated individuals with type 1 diabetes
First Lady Jill Biden Has COVID-19
First Lady has received two vaccines plus two boosters, and so far, her symptoms are mild
COVID-19 Risk for Dialysis Patients Tied to Antibody Response to Vaccine
During omicron, risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection dependent on antibody response to COVID-19 vaccine regardless of number of doses
Neurologic Complications Common in Children Hospitalized With COVID-19
Presence of a neurologic complex chronic condition associated with higher odds for neurologic complications
Dupilumab Studied in Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19
No difference seen between dupilumab and placebo groups in adverse events or primary outcome of ventilator-free survival at 28 days
Herpes Vaccine Candidate Launches Early-Phase Study
Massachusetts-based Rational Vaccines Inc. today announced the launch of an observational clinical trial designed to determine the baseline characteristics of patients diagnosed with recurrent symptomatic herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
In addition to assessing the typical baseline characteristics of a population, the purpose of this study is also to determine the acceptance of clinical trial procedures and understand the interest of the target patient population to participate in a therapeutic Phase 1/2 HSV-2 vaccine study in humans.
Mental Health Burden Up for Racial, Ethnic Minorities During Pandemic
Positive screens for depression or anxiety more likely for racial/ethnic minorities well into the pandemic
Clinical Guideline Issued for Use of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma
Strong recommendation based on high-certainty evidence against CCP for unselected hospitalized patients with moderate, severe disease
U.K. Is First Country to Approve Moderna Omicron-Targeted Vaccine
Updated vaccine expected to have ‘important role’ in protecting people from COVID-19 this winter
Influenza Antiviral Works Before and After Annual Flu Shots
As the flu season approaches from the Southern Hemisphere this year, plenty of U.S. FDA-approved influenza vaccines are available to protect people.
However, anyone can get the flu before they are vaccinated, and occasionally even after.
To help reduce the severity of influenza in children, the FDA recently extended the use of a leading oral antiviral medicine.
Influenza A Could Suppress SARS-CoV-2 Replication
According to research published this week in the Journal of Virology, coinfection of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses changes neither the trajectory nor the severity of influenza A infections, regardless of timing.
But should a person contract the influenza A virus first, the response to that infection can significantly suppress the SARS-CoV-2 impact.
Universal Flu Shot Launches Early Clinical Study
The National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, recently announced a Phase 1 clinical trial of a novel influenza vaccine that has begun inoculating healthy adult volunteers.
This innovative study will evaluate the safety of the whole-virus BPL-1357 vaccine candidate’s ability to prompt immune responses.
BPL-1357 was developed by researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
Flu Shots Worked Better than Earlier Reports
New influenza vaccine effectiveness data presented at the U.S. CDC’s June 22, 2022 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) show flu shots worked better during 2021 – 2022 than initially reported.
Published on June 23, 2022, this ACIP data shows flu shots reduced the risk of influenza illness by about 35% among vaccinated people.
Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Flu Shot Uptake?
Leading researchers recently hypothesized that Covid-19 vaccination rates could be associated with influenza vaccination rates.
North Carolina Vaccine Facility Certified for the Next Pandemic
If the U.S. government declares an influenza pandemic, a new vaccine production facility located in Holly Springs, North Carolina, is certified and ready to go.
New Jersey-based Seqirus announced today that the company's innovative manufacturing facility has successfully achieved all criteria required to establish domestic manufacturing capability for cell-based seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines as outlined by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
COVID-19 Confirmed More Costly and Fatal than Influenza
According to a recent retrospective cohort study conducted at the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, Spain, when adults were hospitalized with COVID-19, they were at a greater risk of death than those with influenza.
After accounting for potential confounders, including age, comorbidities, sex, disease severity, pneumonia, and corticosteroid treatment, these researchers found that COVID-19 patients were more than three times as likely to die after being admitted to hospital than influenza patients.
About 50% of U.S. States Have Reported Avian Influenza Outbreaks
The recent announcement from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continued expanding westward and is now impacting about half of U.S.
Self-Amplifying Messenger RNA Transforms Common Flu Shots
A global leader in influenza prevention recently announced a significant investment in a new Research and Development (R&D) facility located in Waltham, Mass.
Seqirus, a business of CSL Limited, confirmed on February 7, 2022, the new facility will support the company’s growing R&D portfolio, focusing on a self-amplifying messenger RNA (sa-mRNA) technology platform, the next generation of mRNA technology.
Influenza Vaccination Failed to Reduce COVID-19 Risk
In a new study from the University of Copenhagen, vaccination against influenza was found to not change the risk of hospitalization or symptoms due to COVID-19.
And influenza vaccination was not associated with the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection as assessed by the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
This study focused on the working population and subgroup analyses of outcomes related to the severity of disease included a sparse number of HCW aged ≥65 who had contracted SARS-CoV-2.
New Yorkers Confronting COVID-19, Monkeypox, and Polio Outbreaks
Over the past few months, lower New York residents have been confronting the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, an expanding number of monkeypox virus infections, and, recently, poliovirus detections.
The good news is that these diseases can be prevented with U.S. FDA-approved vaccines.
"For every one case of paralytic polio identified, hundreds more may be undetected," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said in a related press release on August 12, 2022.
Typhoid Vaccine Provides Multi-Year Immunity in Children
An early release study published today in The Lancet Global Health found the typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar TCV®, can offer disease immunity for up to three years in children as young as nine months old.
The phase 3 research conducted in the African country of Malawi found that the TCV vaccine is safe and well tolerated.
Malaria Antibody Treatment May Protect People
A recent early-stage clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) found a single injection of a next-generation monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment candidate was highly protective in adults by neutralizing the parasites in the skin and blood before they can infect liver cells.
L9LS is a laboratory-made version of a naturally occurring mAbs called L9, derived from the blood of a volunteer who had received an investigational malaria vaccine.
Africa’s Yellow Fever Alert Highlights Traveler Risks
Initially referred to as "yellow jack" centuries ago because of the yellow quarantine flag hoisted by sailing ships carrying infected passengers and crew, the yellow fever virus remains active today.
According to the U.S. CDC, about thirty countries are 'endemic' for the mosquito-carrying yellow fever virus.
And recent outbreaks in Africa indicate the disease poses an ongoing threat to humans.
Europe Extends Locally Produced Monkeypox Vaccine Authorization
Denmark-based Bavarian Nordic A/S recently announced that the European Commission (EC) extended the marketing authorization for the Imvanex® smallpox vaccine to include protection from monkeypox and disease caused by the vaccinia virus.
The new EC approval is valid in all European Union Member States as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
Monkeypox is an Expanding Global Concern Impacting Everyone
Since early May 2022, cases of monkeypox virus disease have been reported from countries where the disease is not endemic, and continue to be reported in several endemic countries, says the World Health Organization (WHO).
This is the first time that monkeypox cases and clusters have been reported concurrently in non-endemic in widely disparate geographical areas worldwide.
Most confirmed monkeypox cases do not have travel histories to Africa, where the virus is endemic.
As of July 22, 2022, over eighty-five countries have reported about 17,388 cases.
Yellow Fever Vaccine Coadministration Confirmed Safe for International Travelers
For international travelers to optimize an immune response from pre-departure vaccination, multiple factors such as the type of vaccine should be considered.
Another factor is the coadministration of multiple vaccines during a single appointment.
According to the U.S. CDC, most vaccines can be divided into two general categories: live or non-live.
TSA PreCheck Expands Gender Identification Options
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced yesterday the implementation of a new TSA PreCheck® program application to include an additional gender marker option to better serve non-binary and gender non-conforming Americans.
This action will ensure the TSA PreCheck system accurately reflects traveler gender based on self-attestation, regardless of the sex assigned at birth.
WHO Extends COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Status
The WHO Director-General recently announced ‘he concurs with the advice offered by the Emergency Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that the event continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.’
WHO Extends COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Status
The WHO Director-General recently announced ‘he concurs with the advice offered by the Emergency Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that the event continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.’