Public health officials reported experiencing structural and political undermining of their professional duties
Biden Administration to Offer Second COVID-19 Boosters to Those 50+
While a second booster for older adults will be offered, federal health officials will not go so far as to recommend it
Flying High With Cleaner Air Helps Avoid COVID-19
Researchers with the Georgia Institute of Technology recently stated in a press release, ‘If you’re looking for an indoor space with a low level of particulate air pollution, a commercial airliner flying at cruising altitude could be your best option.’
An Original Article on air quality in indoor spaces published by peer-reviewed journal Wiley Only on March 1, 2022, shows while in-flight, aircraft cabins have one of the lowest levels of tiny aerosol particles.
This is because aircraft air is generally exchanged between 10 and 30 times per hour.
RSV Vaccine Candidates Approach the Starting Gate
After decades of false starts, new research indicates four Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine candidates are nearing the completion of late-stage trials.
According to the U.S. CDC, RSV vaccines could drastically reduce hospital and intensive-care admissions for young children and seniors.
Unfortunately, an earlier version created sickness in children.
RSV infections are usually most severe in infants under two months old, who encounter the virus for the first time.
Tetanus Immunity Leveraged Against Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to cure or even treat. Now, a new strategy devised by scientists at New York-based Albert Einstein College of Medicine has succeeded in making pancreatic tumors visible to the immune systems of mice and vulnerable to immune attack, reducing cancer metastases by 87%.
Published by SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE on March 23, 2022, these researchers wrote, ‘immunotherapy has been of little use at treating highly aggressive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) due to its immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.’
Cruise Ship Boarding Goes Digital
An innovative cruise line recently announced it is enhancing the preboarding guest experience and making embarkation easier by adding facial recognition and vaccine verification programs.
Holland America Line confirmed on March 18, 2022, all U.S., Canadian and European homeports will be implementing these digital technologies.
mBark is a mobile system that enables guests to digitally check in for their pending voyage.
Pneumonia Outpacing COVID-19 Fatalities During Spring 2022
Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated the health industry. But as COVID-19 related fatalities subside, a well-known respiratory threat has become more visible.
According to the U.S. CDC’s reporting on March 17, 2022, about 10.8% of the deaths during week #10 were due to pneumonia, influenza, and/or COVID-19 (PIC).
Among the 1,890 PIC deaths reported for this week, 1,215 had COVID-19 listed as an underlying or contributing cause of death on the death certificate, 660 were related to pneumonia, and 15 listed influenza.
What is Paxlovid’s Absolute and Relative COVID-19 Risk Reduction
The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) recently published an Editorial related to understanding who benefits the most when taking the oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid.
Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir, plus ritonavir) is the first oral small-molecule antiviral agent administered targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus main protease inhibitor with potent pan–human-coronavirus activity in vitro.
The U.S. FDA and various countries have authorized Paxlovid.
"Do Look Up" When Passing Through LAX Security
Just as Spring Break 2022 travelers are booking last-minute flights, rushing through airport security has become easier when ‘looking’ into unique cameras.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) recently introduced facial recognition technology to verify the identity of prospective flyers.
Wild Birds Carrying Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Are Landing
Unusual ‘bird-flu’ announcements continue to reach new areas and expand within U.S. states during 2022. Migrating wild birds infected with Avian influenza (AI) are actively carrying the disease without showing visible signs of illness.
Unlike recent years, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has already confirmed 385 birds carrying the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus as of March 17, 2022.