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The concept of adult vaccination — other than for travel overseas — is relatively new in Singapore. The rationale, however, is similar to that of childhood vaccination.
Vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza, pneumococcal disease and even measles continue to infect significant numbers of adults each year.
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Go to sourceAmid controversy over an unsigned manifesto, the Office of the Ombudsman has found sufficient ground to launch a formal investigation of Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta and PAO’s forensics head Erwin Erfe.
Go to sourceThe vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV) is a feat of modern medicinethat has proved to be both perfectly safe and highly effective.
After more than a decade of monitoring and research, scientists have found no solid evidence that the vaccine causes fertility problems. And yet, there are still some who refuse to accept this.
Go to sourceVaccines have been one of the most powerful innovations in the history of health, slashing rates of many killer childhood diseases such as polio, diphtheria and measles.
And in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an outbreak of Ebolahas been ongoing for just over a year, a vaccine has undoubtedly played a major role in stopping the disease from spiralling out of control and turning it into a repeat of the 2014-16 epidemic in West Africa which killed more than 11,000 people.
Go to sourceMeasles continues to spread in global outbreaks, with the first 6 months of 2019 producing more measles cases than any year since 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a new report on measles activity in the first half of 2019.
Go to sourceIn August 2015 Dr Sakoba Keita, who led the Ebola response in Guinea during the largest Ebola outbreak the world has ever seen, declared: the Ebola vaccine is a gift from Guinea to West Africa and the world. This was just …more
Go to sourceirculation of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been confirmed in Ghana, related to a cVDPV2 affecting Jigawa, Nigeria. Across the GPEI partnership, the outbreak preparedness and response task team (OPRTT) is working with our regional and country colleagues in …more
Go to sourceSACRAMENTO — California medical regulators have been flooded with complaints about doctors accused of writing improper vaccine exemptions for children, with at least 186 accusations filed in the last four years. But a large number of those complaints— more than …more
Go to sourceTexas almost mandated an HPV vaccine before politics got in the way. Now, the state has one of the country’s highest rates of cervical cancer. The state’s approach stands in stark contrast to that of Australia, where leaders have successfully …more
Go to sourceA stewardess of Israel’s El Al airline died Tuesday, following a months-long battle with measles. The 43-year-old stewardess was infected with the measles virus during a flight from New York to Israel five months ago. After she was infected, the …more
Go to sourceScience and politics BY FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO AUGUST 12, 2019 FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO IF there are two characters that would make the strangest of bedfellows, these would be the scientist and the politician. One cultivates an insensitivity to …more
Go to sourceA recent study in the journal “Lancet” made a big splash when its authors concluded that cervical cancer could be eliminated worldwide “if sufficient population-level vaccination coverage can be reached.” Rwanda is certainly doing its part. The tiny African country …more
Go to sourceDan Foulds lost his wife Jacinta Foulds when the mum of three contracted flu two weeks ago and became so sick she caught a secondary infection and pneumonia. The nail salon owner told the doctor she was unwell and she …more
Go to sourceAn important initiative to bring clinicians into the social media space, where most of the public questions and concerns circulate– HL Getting Social: Physicians Can Counteract Misinformation With an Online Presence Rita Rubin, MA JAMA. Published online July 31, …more
Go to sourceMore than 850 cases of suspected mumps have been reported in Nottinghamshire. That compares to just 85 suspected cases in the same period in 2018 – and it is the highest number since comparable records began in 2011. The …more
Go to sourceMeasles cases in Ukraine have slowed considerably in recent weeks; however, officials say they will start increasing again after school starts in September. Image/CDC The Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reported 214 measles cases during …more
Go to sourceVietnam dengue cases top 100K through July by NEWS DESK July 30, 2019 By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The dengue fever epidemic in Vietnam has exceeded 100,000 cases in the first seven months of 2019. According to Suckhoe Doisong report (computer translated), the country has …more
Go to sourceBy April, 2019 was already a bad year for measles. Outbreaks were occurring all over the world, including in Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Sudan, Thailand, and Ukraine. In the Philippines, more than 200 people, most of them children, had died from …more
Go to sourceIt is the second PR stunt Healthcare Minister Venko Filipce pulled to blow up in his face and to only further inflame anti-vaccination activists in Macedonia. First there were the billboards his Ministry ordered ahead of the September 2018 referendum …more
Go to sourceA measles-rubella vaccination campaign, targeted to cover 2.26 crore children up to 15 years of age, has started in Rajasthan amid protests by parents in some parts of the State. The drive met with resistance on its opening day on …more
Go to sourceSYRACUSE, N.Y. – About 1,200 Central New York children who had religious exemptions for vaccinations against measles and other diseases could be banned from school in September unless they get their shots as required under a new state law. A report …more
Go to sourceWhile there is currently no evidence of community spread from these new cases, MOH said it has taken precautionary measures to prevent further spread. “These include vaccination of close contacts who do not have proof of vaccination or immunity, and close …more
Go to sourceGOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Congo’s health minister, Oly Ilunga, resigned on Monday in protest at the presidency’s announcement last week that it was stripping his team of control over the response to the Ebola outbreak. Ilunga has …more
Go to sourceThe global drive to eliminate polio, which has gone on for 31 years and consumed over $16 billion, has been set back again by a surge of new cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Go to sourcehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/32
Go to sourceAn excellent, thoughtful article on the urgent need to diffuse polarized debates to more civil, open dialogue with room for differences – HL Preserving Civility in Vaccine Policy Discourse: A Way Forward Gregory A. Poland, MD; Jon C. Tilburt, MD; …more
Go to sourceFear, trust in the government, and perceived likelihood of exposure are the three leading predictors of Americans’ willingness to receive Ebola vaccinations, according to a study published July 17 in Heliyon and reported by News Medical.
Go to sourceUganda has fast-tracked testing of Ebola vaccines, as the WHO declared the outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo a “public health emergency of international concern”, a rare designation only used for the gravest epidemics.
Go to sourceNearly 2,000 deaths have been recorded from measles so far this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo, exceeding the number from the country’s widely publicized Ebola outbreak, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted yesterday (July 15) in a speech. “Frankly, I am embarrassed to talk only about Ebola,” said Tedros, who goes by his first name, in remarks reported by Ars Technica.
Go to sourceThe World Health Organization announced on Wednesday 17 July that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Professor Peter Piot, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical …more
Go to sourceNEWS ARTICLE OF THE WEEK The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been ongoing since last August.. By Julia Belluz VOXmedia …more
Go to source‘Worry is contagious’: the vaccine-hesitant parents putting children at risk Vaccines and immunisation ‘Worry is contagious’: the vaccine-hesitant parents putting children at risk More than committed anti-vaxxers, parents who are unsure about vaccination are one of the top …more
Go to sourceJuly 11th, 2019 – Although the European Region achieved its highest-ever estimated coverage for the 2nd dose of measles vaccination in 2017 (~90%), most measles cases are occurring in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals. And international travelers are visiting countries where the …more
Go to sourceAn Israeli court this week ordered the immediate vaccination of a child against tetanus, despite his parents’ objection. The decision could set a precedent as the anti-vaccination movement gains ground around the world and in Israel. The year-and-a-half-old child was badly …more
Go to sourceDepartment of Health (MANILA BULLETIN) Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. admitted the hospitals were running out of rooms for dengue patients. “But not all hospitals have patients overflowing along halls or corridors,” Defensor noted after inspecting the medical facilities. …more
Go to sourceThe claims of anti-vaccine sceptics that pregnant mothers who have the flu jab increase the risk of their child suffering health complications have been thoroughly debunked in a major new study. Around 104,000 children were followed throughout their first five years by Canadian researchers, including …more
Go to sourceParts of Africa are grappling with an outbreak of measles and the preventable disease is making a comeback because many people here are not being vaccinated. The World Health Organization says cases on the continent have surged by 700 percent …more
Go to sourceAlex Whiting, Mosaic In February this year, a holiday in paradise turned into a nightmare for one French family. Soon after their arrival in Costa Rica, their unvaccinated five-year-old son developed measles, the country’s first case since 2014. …more
Go to sourceTHE SUBSTANTIAL VARIATION in the uptake of the HPV vaccine rates from county to county requires further investigation, according to a new report. The Department of Health report documents a broad range of health service issues, including vaccination rates. The …more
Go to sourceA woman who was divorced by her husband for having their children inoculated against polio has condemned the “anti-vaxx” campaign that is sweeping Pakistan. Dua Rabbani, 26, was at home with her children when a vaccination team arrived in the …more
Go to sourceMinister for Health Simon Harris is to establish a “vaccine alliance” of policy makers, patients advocates and clinicians to tackle public concerns about vaccinations. Mr Harris has sought support from opposition parties for a cross-party motion on vaccination which calls on the Oireachtas to …more
Go to sourceThe flu has killed more than 220 people and infected more than 100,000 across Australia this year, with authorities warning the peak of the flu season is yet to come. At least 228 people have died from flu-related complications around …more
Go to sourceState health officials think a case in Kansas looks nearly inevitable. And the state’s annual survey of kindergartener vaccination rates suggests some counties do better than others at getting little kids their potentially life-saving shots of MMR vaccine. But while …more
Go to sourceUkraine health officials reported an additional 967 measles – 436 adults and 531 children, during the past week. Image/CDC This brings the total cases to 54,065 people – 25,439 adults and 28,626 children, including 18 deaths since the beginning of …more
Go to sourcePOLITICS ‘People’s veto’ campaigns target new Maine abortion and vaccination laws The groups behind the campaigns want voters to decide on laws that require insurers to cover abortion and that eliminate broad exemptions for childhood vaccinations. BY KEVIN MILLERSTAFF WRITER …more
Go to sourceune 24, 2019–A recent online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association, revealed that more than two in five American adults (45%) say something has caused them to …more
Go to sourceExperts say they have seen reports showing syringes stuffed with aluminium foil and children who have allegedly become paralysed after vaccinations on official-looking websites, which promote other anti-vaccination messages. The birth of the modern anti-vaccination movement came in 1998, following …more
Go to sourceEmilie Karafillakis, research fellow for the Vaccine Confidence Project, speaks to France 24 about the rising anti-vaccination sentiment that is rising throughout Europe, especially in France where a recent study revealed 1 in 3 citizens believe vaccines are unsafe.
Go to sourceThe Wellcome Trust launched their first Global Monitor surveying over 140,000 individuals in 140 countries regarding their trust in science, scientists , health professionals and vaccines. The Global Monitor adopted the Vaccine Confidence Project’s Vaccine Confidence Index (TM) to measure …more
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he American Medical Association has voted to support state policies that would permit minors to override their parents’ objections to vaccinations. “The prevalence of unvaccinated pediatric patients is troubling to physicians,” AMA board member Dr. S. Bobby Mukkamala said in the release. …more
Go to sourceHighlights of an article published by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Center for Media and Policy Full article here By Chloe Reichel June 13, 2019 Many Americans are turning to the internet with their health questions. And their use of …more
Go to sourceAmid an ongoing measles outbreak, New York is requiring schoolchildren to be vaccinated, even if parents have religious objections. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Thursday that removes nonmedical exemptions from school vaccination requirements. The law goes into effect immediately, his …more
Go to sourceI ATTENDED AN ORTHODOX ANTI-VACCINE RALLY. HERE’S WHAT I SAW. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!” he cried, reciting the Gospels nearly verbatim in referring to advocates of vaccination. BY BEN SALES/JTA …more
Go to sourceFifteen people have died and a record 3284 were last month diagnosed with an “unprecedented” killer flu sweeping WA and stretching emergency departments to breaking limit. Influenza season traditionally peaks in August and September but its early and brutal arrival …more
Go to sourceThree Metropolitan Trial Courts recently dismissed complaints filed against former Health secretary Janette Garin and other officials in connection with Dengvaxia cases for lack of jurisdiction. Judges Nelvin Asi, Chelsea Segunda Dirige and Marlo Bermejo Campanilla of the Metropolitan Trial Court …more
Go to sourceDelhi reports rabies vaccine shortage by NEWS DESK June 8, 2019 The New Indian Express reports that the Delhi government is reporting an “acute shortage” of rabies vaccines in government run hospitals. The shortage is due to a drop in vaccine …more
Go to sourceWHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) today issued new recommendations to address vaccination challenges in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The recommendations include endorsing operational adjustments that make the vaccination process faster and …more
Go to sourceThe deaths of two infants on 6 July 2018 in Samoa shortly after receiving their MMR immunisations are under investigation by the Samoan Ministry of Health and Samoan Police. There have also been media reports of two other deaths of Samoan siblings …more
Go to sourceThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Thursday that 971 cases of measles have been reported this year, topping the 1994 modern-record level, and it warned that the United States could lose its measles elimination status. Amid …more
Go to sourceIn this episode of Take as Directed, J. Stephen Morrison speaks with Dr. Heidi Larson on why vaccine confidence is currently in crisis, and how this has fueled outbreaks such as measles and the persistence of polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Go to sourcePublished in POLITICO 27 May 2019 By Arthur Allen The anti-vaccine movement, which swelled with discredited theories that blamed vaccines for autism and other ills, has morphed and grown into a libertarian political rebellion that is drawing in state …more
Go to sourceProf Larson discusses vaccine hesitancy and its implications across global health in this webinar.
Go to sourceAfter serious setbacks in April led to a cluster of new polio cases, Pakistan is revamping its vaccination strategy in a renewed effort to wipe out the virus. The country is one of just three — along with Afghanistan and …more
Go to sourceAmong the 8.6 million people who live in New York City, there’s been 359 cases of measles since last September. On March 9, Mayor Bill de Blasio leading the charge, the city mandated the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine in …more
Go to sourceThe measles outbreak got so bad in Manila, Philippines, that San Lazaro Hospital had to set up tents in the parking lot, the courtyard and even the landing at the top of the stairs outside the pediatric ward to house …more
Go to sourceBy The Editorial Board The New York Times From Original article The measles outbreak makes it vital for New York lawmakers to end religious exemptions for vaccinati ons. By The Editorial Board The editorial board represents the opinions of the …more
Go to sourcehe World Health Organization’s goal was lofty but achievable: eliminate measles from five of the world’s six regions by 2020. But recent outbreaks — even in places where elimination had been achieved — are making that goal a distant dream. …more
Go to sourceDespite Measles Warnings, Anti-Vaccine Rally Draws Hundreds of Ultra-Orthodox Jews A “vaccine symposium” in Rockland County was denounced by health authorities and some ultra-Orthodox rabbis, who said the speakers were spreading dangerous propaganda. Hundreds were in attendance at an …more
Go to source“I have not seen such high numbers of measles cases” 17 May 2019 Five-year-old Mustapha Osman is receiving fluids intravenously in the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) measles unit inside State Specialist hospital in Maiduguri, in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State. He …more
Go to sourceYou don’t want measles, period. You really don’t want measles when you’re pregnant, when it can cause severe maternal complications and premature birth. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has published a case report of a 27-year-old woman from England, who caught measles when she …more
Go to sourceIn early spring, as the worldwide measles outbreak was raging, an Orthodox Israeli woman wrote a prayer to encourage religious parents to vaccinate their children. “I’ve come across a lot of people who do vaccinate, but they often feel conflicted,” …more
Go to sourcePakistan confirmed on Thursday that two new cases of polio had emerged in the country, raising the 2019 total to 17. “Two new polio cases from Karachi and North Waziristan have been confirmed by the National Institution of Health [NIH]” …more
Go to sourceSince 1 January 2018, 47 of the 53 countries in the Region have together reported over 100 000 measles cases and over 90 measles-related deaths. WHO has been supporting them over time to improve their immunization coverage and tackle disease …more
Go to sourceAs state legislators consider a bill to crack down on suspect vaccine exemptions for schoolchildren, a vocal minority on social media is fostering opposition, often by spreading misinformation and sharing referrals to doctors who support their cause. Senate Bill 276 …more
Go to sourceNobody saw it coming. The virus was so close to being wiped out. Millions of young children had been repeatedly inoculated, and in March older ones were added in a final nationwide vaccine push to ensure that Pakistan — one of only …more
Go to sourceJapan stopped using the MMR vaccine seven years ago – virtually the only developed nation to turn its back on the jab. Government health chiefs claim a four-year experiment with it has had serious financial and human costs. Of the …more
Go to sourceVCP Research Fellow Emilie Karafillakis comments on the anti-vaccination movement, the role of social media and the importance of rebuilding trust.
Go to sourceAnother polio officer shot dead Anwarullah Khan Abdullah Jan, 35, was going home on a motorbike when unidentified assailants shot him dead in the Thani area, some 20 kilometres from Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur tribal district, officials and locals …more
Go to sourceIn recent months Pakistani social media has been inundated with fake news reports and videos — garnering thousands of views and shares in the last week alone — claiming numerous children have been killed by the polio vaccine. Thousands of …more
Go to sourceBy Maggie O’Neill The FDA approved a vaccine for dengue virus, which causes dengue fever, it said yesterday in a statement. The vaccine, called Dengvaxia, was previously approved in the European Union and 19 other countries. You don’t need to worry about …more
Go to sourceKyle Mullica, a freshman member of Colorado’s House, came into office this past January with a sense of mission. An emergency-room nurse, he had run a campaign based on his experience in the world of medicine, in an era where …more
Go to sourceDoctors worry as anti-vaccination messages escalate from social media misinformation to personal threats pitchforks are coming out,’ family doctor says Nicole Ireland · CBC News · Posted: May 01, 2019 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: May 1 Signs advertising free measles vaccines …more
Go to sourceFDA approves the first vaccine for dengue fever, but with major restrictions By HELEN BRANSWELL @HelenBranswell MAY 1, 2019 The FDA has approved Dengvaxia, the first vaccine against dengue fever.HERMAN LUMANOG/PACIFIC PRESS/SIPA VIA AP The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday …more
Go to sourcePlay Video Over half a million children in the UK were not immunised against measles between 2010 and 2017 – and now the number of people catching it is rocketing. The head of the NHS in England …more
Go to sourceA cruise ship reportedly owned and operated by the Church of Scientology has been quarantined off the coast of Saint Lucia after a case of measles was diagnosed on board. The Caribbean island’s health authorities barred any passengers or crew …more
Go to sourceIn this video Prof Larson explains what vaccine confidence is, the team’s work, and what needs to be done to restore vaccine confidence around the world.
Go to sourceAs part of the LSHTM Vaccine Centre podcast series to celebrate World Immunization Week Prof Heidi Larson recorded an episode with about her work and the VCP.
Go to sourcePESHAWAR, Pakistan — Pakistani police say gunmen have killed a policeman assigned to escort polio workers during a three-day nationwide campaign against the crippling disease. Local police officer Wahid Noor says Tuesday’s attack took place in the northwestern town of …more
Go to sourceInfluenza number continue to soar, putting South Australia on a steep trajectory for potentially its worst year on record. Latest figures from SA Health show that up to April 18 there had been 7414 confirmed cases of the flu, even …more
Go to sourceMeasles Outbreak Upsets Passover Plans at Hotels for Religious Jews 04/22/2019 s Tens of thousands of religious Jews who decided to spend Passover at a crowded hotel with their families are worrying about the measles outbreak. By Clark Savage, …more
Go to sourceAn anti-polio campaign began across the country on Monday except in South Waziristan where the Khasadar Force has boycotted its duties. The paramilitary force personnel say they haven’t been paid in nine months and will not be working until they get …more
Go to sourceResults: During 5 025 754 person-years of follow-up, 6517 children were diagnosed with autism (incidence rate, 129.7 per 100 000 person-years). Comparing MMR-vaccinated with MMR-unvaccinated children yielded a fully adjusted autism hazard ratio of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85 to 1.02). Similarly, no increased …more
Go to sourceWashington lawmakers pass bill to limit MMR vaccine exemption options prev next Video Nearly 300 US mumps cases reported in March MMR vaccine does not cause autism, another study confirms FDA chief: Feds may have to …more
Go to sourcePERSPECTIVE By Catharine I. Paules, M.D., Hilary D. Marston, M.D., MP.H., and Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. New England Journal of Medicine (published on April 17, 2019, at NEJM.org ) Measles vaccination has prevented an estimated 21 million deaths worldwide since …more
Go to sourcesraeli flight attendant who contracted measles in a coma. Vaccine urged for flight crews Israeli health officials issued an alert earlier this month about a measles patient who had traveled on El Al Flight 2 on March 26 and 27 …more
Go to sourceWith the threat of a measles outbreak hanging over Germany, the government is considering making the vaccination mandatory for children. While many parties back the move, the Green party remains skeptical.
Go to sourceMOHMAND, Pakistan — Walid Ali had worked tirelessly to cleanse a remote, impoverished corner of northwestern Pakistan of the crippling disease polio.But his family is now reeling from his untimely death. Earlier this week, Wajid was allegedly killed by a man after a reported remonstration over his refusal to vaccinate his children.“He said, ‘I am paid to serve the children of our nation, and I want to do this honestly,’” his elderly father, Malik Bakhth Muneer, told Radio Mashaal of the last conversation he had with his son. It was the morning of April 8, before Wajid left to vaccinate children in the rural district of Mohmand in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
Go to sourceThe vast majority of Canadians believe that vaccinations should be mandatory for school-aged children, according to a new poll.In an exclusive Ipsos poll prepared for Global News, 88 per cent of Canadians said they would approve of legislation to make it mandatory for all school-aged children to be up to date on their vaccinations unless there is a medical reason why they can’t be immunized. Two-thirds of Canadians said they would strongly approve of such legislation.“Canadians definitely feel that vaccinations are important and should be legislated,” said Jennifer McLeod Macey, vice-president of Ipsos Public Affairs. “Canadians would also go so far as to say this is important enough that it needs to be posted so I can go somewhere and I can know that this school is compliant or this daycare is compliant.”…
Go to sourceLike health officials facing outbreaks of disease, internet companies are trying to contain vaccine-related misinformation they have long helped spread. So far, their efforts at quarantine are falling short.Searches of Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram turn up all sorts of bogus warnings about vaccines, including the soundly debunked notions that they cause autism or that mercury preservatives and other substances in them can poison and even kill people….
Go to sourceROCKLAND COUNTY -A judge has granted a temporary restraining order to halt Rockland County’s measles emergency order, which temporarily banned unvaccinated kids from public places.The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by several dozen parents of unvaccinated students at the Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge. Another lawsuit was also filed by an unnamed mother from Rockland County. The lawsuit claimed Rockland officials overstepped their authority with the 30-day emergency order banning children under the age of 18 from schools, places of worship and other public areas if they haven’t been vaccinated against measles…
Go to sourceAnother worker at Hong Kong airport was on Saturday found to have been infected with measles, bringing the number of cases in the city this year to 55.The 25-year-old customer service officer contracted the disease despite a previous vaccination and past good health. He developed a fever on Tuesday followed by a rash two days later.The city’s Centre for Health Protection said the man worked on the seventh floor of Terminal 1, and had consulted a general practitioner on Friday before attending the emergency unit of North Lantau Hospital later in the day. He was then transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for treatment…
Go to sourceThanks to vaccinations, cases of wild poliovirus globally have dropped dramatically. In the 1980s the estimated global number of paralytic cases was over 350,000 per year and the disease was still prevalent in 125 countries.
Fast forward to 2018 and there was 33 cases in two of the three remaining endemic countries–Pakistan and Afghanistan.
How did we get here and what are the hurdles left to eliminating polio from the face of the earth?…
The routine vaccination of schoolgirls against the human papillomavirus (HPV) in Scotland has led to a dramatic reduction in cervical cancer in later life.
Some forms of the sexually-transmitted HPV are linked to cervical cancer – one of the most common cancers in women aged under 35 in the UK. A decade ago, the UK government introduced a UK-wide immunisation programme for girls aged 12 and 13.
Sabrina Bacchus is a mother of two, a little boy and a baby girl, and like most parents, she wants to keep her children healthy and safe. She just doesn’t know if adhering to her province’s full immunization schedule is the best way to do that.“I have had so many issues with chemical drugs that I was afraid that gene may have been passed on to them and that they would have reactions to (vaccines).”
Go to sourceA disaster is quietly unfolding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where Ebola has infected nearly 1,000 people and killed more than 600. It is the second-largest outbreak of the disease — and epidemiologists worry that it will continue to grow because the virus could be spreading undetected. New cases are being diagnosed late, which means that the virus has ample time to spread.
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As Filipino families head to the beach, the mountains or just chill at home for the long spring-summer break at the end of March, health authorities are hoping the two-month holiday will provide respite in an ongoing war against measles and a worrying rise in dengue fever cases.
Go to sourceA Japanese court ruled yesterday that a medical journalist who has championed vaccination to reduce the risk of cervical cancer defamed a neurologist by writing that he had fabricated data showing a link between the vaccine and brain damage in mice.
Go to sourceRockland County, on the Hudson river north of New York City, has barred unvaccinated children from public spaces after 153 cases were confirmed.
Violating the order will be punishable by a fine of $500 (£378) and up to six months in prison.
AT DUSK ON February 27th a group of young men dressed as football players were kicking a ball around a pitch besides an Ebola treatment centre in Butembo, a city in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Suddenly men with guns and machetes sprang out of the bush and handed weapons to those masquerading as footballers. Together, they charged into the centre. As the sick fled, along with health workers, the men splashed petrol around before tossing in lit matches. When nurses crept back later they found the smouldering remains of the pharmacy, archive room, hand-washing station and vehicles.
Go to sourceYouTube said it was banning anti-vaccination videos from running online advertisements. Facebook announced it was hiding certain content and turning away ads that contain misinformation about vaccines, and Pinterest said it was blocking “polluted” search terms, memes and pins from particular sites prompting anti-vaccine propaganda, according to news reports.
Go to sourceA northern Kentucky family is suing the health department there on religious grounds linked to abortion for not allowing their unvaccinated son to attend his Catholic school where a chickenpox outbreak has prompted a ban on unvaccinated students until the outbreak of more than 30 cases is contained.
Go to sourceAnti-vaccination content on Facebook extends beyond the thoroughly debunked myth that vaccines cause autism, a new study reports. Instead, a team of researchers found four flavors of anti-vaccine misinformation that may discourage parents from vaccinating their children.
Go to sourceGlobal immunization experts attending the biannual Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) meeting urged African countries to strengthen their routine immunization. Over the past five years, immunization coverage in sub-Saharan Africa has stagnated at 72%, exposing populationssuffer from vaccine-prevent to vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks.
Go to sourceOne of Ireland’s leading HPV vaccine campaigners has died. Laura Brennan, from Hillview in County Clare, had cervical cancer. She died at University Hospital Limerick on Thursday, according to Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE). The organisation said the 26 year old’s campaigning led to a surge of almost 20% in the number of young women taking the HPV vaccine.
Go to sourceMANILA – The Department of Health has recorded more than 20,000 measles cases since January 2019.In the report released by the DOH Epidemiology Bureau dated Mar. 20, the number of measles cases recorded from Jan. 1 to Mar. 19 has reached 22,967.
Go to sourceITALY (WPVI) — There is a new national policy for parents in Italy.As of Tuesday, children under six will not be able to attend school if they aren’t properly vaccinated, and parents of kids over six who aren’t up-to-date on their shots could face hefty fines.
Go to sourceAmazon is removing from its online marketplace “autism cure” books that unscientifically claim children can be cured of autism with pseudoscientific methods such as ingesting and bathing in a potentially toxic form of bleach and taking medication meant to treat arsenic and lead poisoning.
Go to sourceThe American Medical Association has followed Member of Congress in appealing to technology company heads to ensure accurate information on vaccines(full letter below). While I fully support an appeal to address some of amplifying algorithms and other technical mechanisms that …more
Go to sourceIndia is on track for another bad year of H1N1 or swine flu infections, recording more than 19,000 cases and more than 600 deaths since the beginning of the year. The worst outbreaks of this respiratory illness have occurred in the swine flu hotspots in western India – Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat – as well as in Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka and Telangana.
Go to sourceMANILA – Measles deaths in the Philippines have hit a new high, with 286 fatalities recorded from January 1 to March 2 of this year, the Department of Health said Tuesday. This is seven times higher than the 39 measles deaths recorded from January 1 to March 2 of 2018.
Go to sourceA 6-year-old boy was playing on a farm when he cut his forehead, a laceration that was simple enough to tend to at home.
But six days later, his parents realized something was seriously wrong: He was clenching his jaw, having trouble breathing and experiencing involuntary muscle spasms.
Go to sourceIf you’re driving into San Lazaro Hospital in the Philippine capital Manila for the first time, you can be forgiven for thinking it’s a disaster zone. You can’t miss it – a big white tent sits across the hospital’s entrance. Inside the makeshift medical facility, there are beds that can accommodate up to 50 patients.
Go to sourceItalian children have been told not to turn up to school unless they can prove they have been properly vaccinated.
The deadline follows months of national debate over compulsory vaccination.
Parents risk being fined up to €500 (£425; $560) if they send their unvaccinated children to school. Children under six can be turned away.
Go to sourceMontreal, Canada Seventy people, most of them children, have died of measles in the Philippines since the start of 2019,1 the country’s health ministry has said, as many as were killed by the virus in the entire World Health Organization …more
Go to sourceIn its 2019 new year message, WHO has named vaccine hesitancy as one of the world’s top 10 global health threats, alongside air pollution and climate change, noncommunicable diseases, global influenza pandemic, fragile and vulnerable settings, antimicrobial resistance, Ebola and other high-threat …more
Go to source2018 has been a year of anniversaries – particularly the devastating “Spanish” influenza pandemic, which peaked in 1918, and the armistice ending the First World War. But it also marked 200 years since the 1818 publication of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein; …more
Go to sourceBackground: Vaccination coverage is dropping in several countries, including Slovenia. More and more people hesitate or even reject vaccinations. As the influence of the internet grows, the question becomes how to communicate about vaccination to parents in order to prevent …more
Go to sourceBackground: The vaccine system in England underwent radical changes in 2013 following the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act. There have since been multi-year decreases in coverage of many vaccines. Health care professionals have reported finding the new …more
Go to sourceThe Lancet COMMENT| VOLUME 392, ISSUE 10161. On Oct 17, 2018, WHO reported 52958 measles cases in the European region since the beginning of 2018, which is more than double the 23 757 cases reported for Africa in the same …more
Go to sourceA new Lancet editorial on the “Decade of Vaccines”, takes a long term view and recognizes that, ” in the current social and political climate, perhaps it is time to re-evaluate.” In addition to acknowledging advances, it takes a sobering …more
Go to sourceA new BBC investigation into fake news in Africa and India shows the viral power of misinformation on public sentiment and behaviours. These dynamics are equally dangerous in their power to undermine vaccine confidence and trigger vaccine refusal and the …more
Go to sourceAbstract Background Vaccination coverage is dropping in several countries, including Slovenia. More and more people hesitate or even reject vaccinations. As the influence of the internet grows, the question becomes how to communicate about vaccination to parents in order …more
Go to sourceHigh confidence in vaccination programmes is crucial for maintaining high coverage rates, especially at levels that exceed those required for herd immunity. Across the European Union (EU), however, vaccine delays and refusals are contributing to declining immunisation rates in a …more
Go to sourcepublished in Nature 562, 309 (2018) A century after the world’s worst flu epidemic, rapid spread of misinformation is undermining trust in vaccines crucial to public health. A hundred years ago this month, the death rate from the 1918 influenza was at …more
Go to sourceThe Philippines’ highly politicised response to newly-reported risks of a dengue vaccine led to a dramatic drop in public trust in vaccines overall, in new research published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. Led by the Vaccine Confidence Project at …more
Go to sourceAC de Munter, ATostmann SJM Hahné, et al.
Go to sourceThanks to Naveen Thacker for this timely commentary: I have been a paediatrician for over three decades and have had parents come to me with many questions about their children’s health. But over the last year I have seen a …more
Go to sourceHighlights •In almost three decades, there is about 58 percentage point reduction in polio dropout across Pakistan. •Rural Pakistani child is highly likely to be dropout of polio vaccination relative to his/her urban counterparts. •Significant likelihood of increase in never-vaccinated …more
Go to sourceEmilie Karafillakis, research fellow for the Vaccine Confidence Project, speaks to France 24 about the rising anti-vaccination sentiment that is rising throughout Europe, especially in France where a recent study revealed 1 in 3 citizens believe vaccines are unsafe.
In this episode of Take as Directed, J. Stephen Morrison speaks with Dr. Heidi Larson on why vaccine confidence is currently in crisis, and how this has fueled outbreaks such as measles and the persistence of polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Prof Larson discusses vaccine hesitancy and its implications across global health in this webinar.
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