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Disease X Explained in Five

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

Numerous scientists are currently working to prevent the next pandemic in 2024. To prepare for it, countries need to take certain measures says the World Health Organization (WHO).
In February 2018, the WHO included the term "Disease X" in its Blueprint list of diseases for the first time.
According to the WHO, this concept represents the knowledge that a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease could cause a serious international epidemic.

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National Vaccination Day 2024 Launches Today

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

National Immunization Days (NIDs) are essential to eradicating diseases worldwide. Celebrated annually on March 16th, the goal of NIDs is to identify children who are either not fully immunized or only partially protected and to enhance immunity in those who have already been immunized.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccination is an effective and safe way of preventing harmful diseases. A vaccine uses the body's natural defenses to build a resistance wall to specific infections and make the vaccinated individual's immune system stronger.

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Genomic Surveillance Lands at Chicago and Miami Airports

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

In 2021, health officials started testing airline passengers who passed through a New York airport to identify imported emerging infectious diseases, part of the U.S. national biosecurity initiative.
Over the past three years, more than 300,000 travelers from over 135 countries have participated each year in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance (TGS) program.
The TGS has been offering testing services in Los Angeles, Newark, Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, NYC (JFK), and Washington, DC (IAD).

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$57 Million Project To Test Next-Gen Inhaled and Nasal Coronavirus Vaccines

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

An international team of researchers specializing in human challenge studies has initiated a $57 million project to develop advanced vaccines that can block coronaviruses and prevent infections.
The consortium, consisting of more than a dozen scientific teams and organizations, is led by Imperial College London and co-funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe Programme and CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

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Pneumococcal Vaccination Also Reduces Viral Respiratory Infections

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

According to emerging evidence, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) not only prevent pneumococcal disease but also have the potential to indirectly reduce viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) by affecting pneumococcal-viral interactions.
Researchers recently performed a systematic review of interventional and observational studies published between 2000 and 2022 on vaccine efficacy/adjusted effectiveness (VE) and the overall effect of PCV7, PCV9, PCV10, or PCV13 against viral RTI.

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The Rise of Deadly Mosquito-Borne Diseases

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

In this blog post, written by Juan Carlos Jaramillo, MD. Chief Medical Officer Valneva and Vice President Vaccines Europe highlight a lesser-known consequence of climate change: the increasing prevalence of deadly mosquito-borne diseases.
Historically, these mosquitoes inhabited tropical and subtropical regions like South America and Southeast Asia. In recent years, they've infiltrated previously unaffected areas, such as Southern Europe and the United Kingdom.

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17% of Canadians Vaccinated with Updated COVID-19

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

The Honourable Mark Holland, Canada's Minister of Health, issued a statement today marking the fourth National Day of Observance for COVID-19.
'Today's landscape is different than it was during the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines and treatments are now more accessible to people in Canada, making it easier for everyone to protect themselves and their families from serious illness.'

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Most Meningococcal Disease Cases Confirmed Since 2014

In COVID-19, Latest News by Precision Vaccinations

Meningitis continues to be a major public health concern worldwide, with epidemics being reported in 2024.
In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported a significant increase in meningococcal disease cases, which causes severe inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Based on preliminary data, as of March 8, 2024, there were 415 confirmed and probable cases of meningococcal disease in 2023 alone.
This is the highest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 2014.

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Flu Shots About 41% Effective

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

Influenza vaccines have provided moderate yet crucial protection against laboratory-confirmed influenza, outpatient visits, and hospitalizations for the past few decades.
Although influenza vaccine's effectiveness does vary based on virus type and age group, healthcare providers have emphasized the need to tailor vaccination strategies for those at the most significant risk.

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Flu Season Focuses on Heartland States

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

The U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report released last week confirmed a significant increase in seasonal influenza activity. This situation persists in all ten geographic regions.
To better visualize the impact of the ongoing 2024 flu season, Walgreens Flu Index's latest chart highlighted the top ten cities offering antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens locations nationwide. 
As of late February 2024, these are the leading markets:

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Did Vaccine Mandates Decrease Flu Shots by 19%

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

Once thriving, the influenza vaccine business in the United States is on a dramatic downward trend. Only 157 million flu shots have been distributed so far during the 2023-2024 flu season.
This data indicates a 19% decrease for the 2020-2021 season when 194 million flu shots were distributed.
With the influenza vaccine's efficacy hovering around 50%, the protective benefits people receive cannot be the reason behind this sudden, negative trend.

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Flu Shot Protection Wanes 9% Monthly

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

It's important to remember that influenza vaccine protection starts very strong but declines throughout flu season as antibody levels wane.
A study published in Eurosurveillance on February 22, 2024, compiled data across nine flu seasons in Ontario, Canada, revealing that influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) waned about 9% every 28 days beginning 41 days post-vaccination.
This trend was detected in adults but not in children.

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Trivalent Flu Shot Formulations Coming Next Season

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

As a global leader in the protection of public health, CSL Seqirus announced today that it is working to change the formulation of its influenza vaccine portfolio.
On February 8, 2024, Seqirus confirmed the B/Yamagata influenza virus strain will be removed from its influenza vaccines distributed in the United States, preferably in time for the 2024-2025 flu season. 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 157 million influenza vaccines were already distributed during the 2023-2024 flu season. 

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From “Immunity Debt” to “Immunity Theft”

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

JAMA Medical News recently published a Perspective explaining how new phrases may apply to recent respiratory illnesses in children in various countries.
Published on January 10, 2024, Rita Rubin, MA, discussed the ongoing debate about how the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to increased rates of diseases such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.
Much of the discussion has centered around immunity debt and immunity theft, terms born of the pandemic and not found in textbooks.

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21% of Children Exposed to Drug-Drug Interactions

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

Over the last few decades, research has proven that drug–drug interactions (DDIs) can cause adverse drug events, but little is known today about DDI exposure in children in the outpatient setting.
A new study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on January 4, 2024, found that 21.7% of Medicaid-insured children were exposed to one major DDIs annually.
Of 781,019 children in this study, the odds of DDI exposure increased with age and with medical and mental health complexity.

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When Should Expecting Mothers Get a Flu Shot

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

A new study published today should help clarify an essential question for pregnant women considering getting an influenza vaccination during flu season, which generally begins in October each year in the United States.
An Original Investigation published by the journal JAMA Pediatrics on December 18, 2023, concluded that maternal vaccination was associated with reduced odds of influenza-associated hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits in infants younger than six months.

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Enhanced Influenza Vaccine Protects Children Best

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

New real-world data focused on cell-based quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine (QIVc) was recently published in the journal Vaccines.
This CSL Seqirus-funded study evaluated data from 16 studies over four flu seasons and is the latest to underscore the measurable value of QIVc or the relative VE (rVE) for children compared to older egg-based QIV (QIVe) vaccines. 

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Mammals Consuming Sick Birds Become Infected with Avian Influenza

In Influenza Vaccine News by Influenza Vaccine

New research highlights multiple detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus Eurasian lineage H5 clade 2.3.4.4b in wild terrestrial mammals in the United States.
This finding, published by the U.S. CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases Volume 29, Number 12—December 2023, builds on previous reports of natural infections with HPAI virus in red foxes and adds to the global list of species susceptible to H5N1 HPAI virus.

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Over-Touristed Destinations Include U.S. Hot Spots

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

There are many cities around the world included in people's bucket-list locations to visit during their lifetime.
According to a team at MoneyTransfers.com, they ranked the most visited cities and countries in the world, and some of the rankings might surprise an avid traveler.
This Most "Over-Touristed" Cities in the World list was published on September 7, 2023.

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Malaria Arrives in Maryland

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

The Maryland Department of Health announced a positive case of locally acquired malaria in a person living in the National Capital Region. This new Maryland patient was hospitalized and is reported to be recovering.
This person did not travel recently outside the United States or visit Florida or Texas, where locally acquired malaria outbreaks have been reported.

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South Africa's Measles Outbreak Continues

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

Over the past year, the Republic of South Africa has been confronted with a significant measles outbreak. Even with an aggressive vaccination program, new measles cases continue to be reported.
As of August 16, 2023, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has tested 6,616 serum samples for measles since epidemiological week 40, 2022, of which 1124 (17%) were confirmed positive.
Recently, the percentage of samples testing positive decreased to 9% in week #31.

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Airport Dos and Don’ts for Labor Day Travelers

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

As the summer travel season 2023 approaches the Labor Day holiday, U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are eager to share their top "dos and don'ts" for air travelers.
Since airline travelers have resumed activity levels last seen in 2019, TSA officers have an insider's view of what results in a smooth screening process and what doesn't.
Additionally, the TSA has identified six tips and six things they never do when flying.
Travel tips:

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COVID-19 Fatalities Decrease Globally

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

While many people thought the COVID-19 pandemic had ended, new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates another SARS-CoV-2 variant is impacting more people.
During the past few months, the EG.5 (Eris) variant spiked COVID-19 cases in India but has recently subsided.
And in the U.S., Eris is the fasting-growing COVID-19 subvariant responsible for around 17% of current COVID cases, according to the U.S. CDC.

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South Florida's Dengue Outbreak Continues in August 2023

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

As the summer of 2023 comes to a close in South Florida, various mosquito-borne diseases continue to infect people.
During the period of July 30 to August 5, 2023, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported the following arboviral activity:
International Travel-Associated Dengue: Forty-three cases of dengue were reported this week in persons with international travel. In 2023, 190 travel-associated dengue cases have been reported.

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Measles Elimination Requires Pre-Trip Vaccinations

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

The United States has maintained the elimination of measles since 2000, despite several outbreaks in various states such as Ohio.
Most measles outbreaks occur when unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people travel to and from the U.S., says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Measles cases worldwide increased by about 80% during 2022.
For example, India recently reported 57,550 measles cases over the past year.

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Cholera Outbreaks Continue in 2023

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

Over the past month, the multi-country cholera outbreak has reached India, which has reported over 600 cases, says the World Health Organization (WHO).
In total, 25 countries have reported cases since the beginning of 2023, and the WHO assesses the risk at the global level as very high. 
For example, the Republic of Haiti has reported over 40,000 cholera cases, including 253 deaths, this year.

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Philippines Aviation Backed by the U.S.

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently affirmed its commitment to provide additional training and equipment to the Republic of the Philippines’ Office for Transportation Security (OTS).
During a courtesy visit to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, TSA Assistant Administrator for International Operations Gary Renfrow noted on August 1, 2023, the improved aviation security in the Philippines and assured the transport chief of continued support for capacity development efforts for airport authorities.

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West Nile Virus Confirmed in Wine Country

In Travel Vaccine News by Travel Vaccine

France's Agence régionale de santé Nouvelle-Aquitaine (ARS) recenlty confirmed a patient had been infected with West Nile virus (WNV) in New Aquitaine.
This WNV patient is from Bordeaux, and ARS is investigating four suspected cases.
Previously, human infections with WNV were reported in France's Mediterranean (PACA and Occitanie regions).
"Their state of health does not inspire concern, and they are on the way to recovery," said the ARS statement on August 1, 2023.

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