New campaign from The Vitamin Shoppe gives free healthy snacks to customers with proof of flu vaccine Nutritional Outlook
The top priority of the Red Cross is the safety of our donors, volunteers, employees and blood recipients, and we are committed to transparency with the American public during this evolving public health emergency. There are no data or evidence that this coronavirus can be transmissible by blood transfusion, and there have been no reported cases worldwide of transmissions for any respiratory virus including this coronavirus.
The Red Cross only collects blood from individuals who are healthy and feeling well at the time of donation and who meet other eligibility requirements.
At each blood drive or donation center, Red Cross employees follow thorough safety protocols, including:
We have also increased our vigilance concerning some of these safety protocols including:
To ensure our staff are healthy each day, we have implemented standard staff health assessments prior to all blood drives.
Finally,onlyeligible and healthy peopleare allowed togive blood.
These mitigation measures will help ensure blood recipient safety, as well as staff and donor safety in reducing contact with those who may potentially have this respiratory infection.
Book yournext donation appointmentfor the days and weeks ahead to help ensure a sufficient blood supply for patients in need.
COVID-19 vaccine and booster highly effective in people with HIV, large studies show aidsmap
If you dont feel like youve had enough COVID-19 vaccine shots already, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State of North Carolina are recommending that you get another shot a fifth one for those whove all the four previously recommended shots.
The new booster is specifically designed to protect against the latest COVID-19 variants.
There have been some availability problems in the state in recent weeks for those whove wanted the shot, but now the new vaccine appears to be widely available largely because a lot of people are forgoing the advice to get immunized once again due to the public perception that the threat of the disease is no longer prevalent.
According to a Thursday, Oct. 13 press release from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), even children age 5 and up can now receive the updated COVID-19 booster.
The press release states that the latest booster is available in North Carolina due to the Food and Drug Administrations emergency use authorization along with the CDCs recommendation.
NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley said this week that children should be vaccinated just as adults should.
Kids 5 and older can now get the most up-to-date protection from COVID-19 from an updated booster to help renew their bodys defenses against the latest variants of the virus this fall and winter, Kinsley stated. Children are vulnerable to COVID-19 and long-term complications just like everyone else. Staying up to date on vaccines and boosters is the best way to protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death from the virus.
The new booster is referred to as a bivalent vaccine which means that it targets both the original coronavirus strain and the newer Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
As of mid-September, these variants constituted about 80 percent of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina. According to state health officials, everyone 5 years of age and older should get the updated COVID-19 booster two months after they finish their primary series or any booster dose.
Health officials say that its safe to get the new COVID-19 vaccine at the same time you get your annual flu vaccine.
The new COVID-19 vaccines, like the previous ones, are free to everyone, regardless of insurance or immigration status.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, testing and treatment or to find locations to arrange a COVID-19 or flu vaccine shot you can visit MySpot.nc.gov or call the states COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center at 888-675-4567.
Special to The Sun: A Burlington County health department nurse prepares to administer a COVID shot during a county vaccination clinic at the Emergency Services Training Center in Westampton.
Children as young as five-years-old can now receive the new COVID-19 bivalent booster shots at the Burlington County Health Departments weekly vaccine clinics starting Oct. 26.
The new updated boosters from Pfizer and Moderna offer stronger protection against severe illness from the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants that are now the dominant strains circulating in New Jersey. Burlington County started administering the shots to adults and teenagers 12 and up last month when it launched its weekly vaccine clinics in Evesham, Bordentown and Westampton.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded emergency use authorization for the shots to children ages five through 11 last week, prompting the county to start preparations for shots for this younger population.
Residents are recommended to receive either brand of the bivalent booster if at least two months has lapsed since their primary vaccination series or their first or second booster. These recommendations replace all previous recommendations for the over five age group. The Pfizer bivalent booster may be given to those ages five and up. The Moderna bivalent booster may be given to those ages six years and up.
Burlington County Health Department Director Dr. Herb Conaway said all eligible residents should seek the added protection of the boosters as soon as possible to become better protected for likely surges in COVID-19 activity this fall and winter.
Children are back in school and cooler weather is pushing more activities indoors, so its imperative for residents to act now to get up-to-date with their vaccines and boosters, said Conaway. These shots are safe and effective and offer the best possible protection against a likely surge in COVID disease. Were also bracing for an active influenza season, so getting a seasonal flu shot is also critical.
Burlington Countys COVID-19 vaccination clinics are held three-days-a-week at rotating locations through a partnership between the County Health Department and Mobile Medical Services and Technology. All three weekly clinics are expected to have Pfizer and Moderna shots and boosters available for all eligible populations beginning Oct. 26.
The locations and times of the clinics are as follows:
Appointments for the clinics can be made online athttps://patientportal.advancedmd.com/149623/onlinescheduling/v2/providersor by calling 844-569-0390 during normal business hours.
No walk-ins are permitted.
Flu shot clinics are scheduled each Thursday at varying times and locations throughout the county. A complete schedule is available athttps://www.co.burlington.nj.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1929.
Burlington County is among the state leaders in COVID vaccinations, with more than 83 percent of its population of residents five and older vaccinated with their primary doses. More than 60 percent have also received at least one booster shot.
Weve made incredible progress in the fight against COVID, but we must still be vigilant and do our best to continue to guard our communities against potential surges, said Conaway. Vaccines and boosters are our best defense, which is why our county continues to make shots available at multiple locations.
Why your doctor is pushing the flu vaccine so hard this year The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Article content
TORONTO Seneca College says it will drop its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy in January.
President David Agnew called the decision regretful but necessary in a statement posted to the colleges website Monday.
Seneca, which has campuses across the Greater Toronto Area, was one of the last post-secondary institutions in Canada with a campus-wide COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The announcement comes a month after Ontarios Superior Court dismissed an application by two unvaccinated students asking the court to block Seneca from enforcing its policy.
People on campus will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination on Jan. 1, but the college says it is keeping its mask mandate until further notice.
Meanwhile, Western University which remains one of the last places in the country with a vaccine mandate announced Monday it was extending its masking requirement until the end of the fall term.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2022.
In a Q&A, Deborah Molrine, MD, clinical program director, QIVc at CSL Seqirus, discussed the now available FLUCELVAX QUADRIVALENT vaccine in children, along with general information on influenza and vaccine types.
Q: How does influenza affect children aged 6 months to 5 years compared to older patients?
A: Children under the age of 5 years represent one of the high-risk groups for flu-related complications. Although flu seasons vary in severity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that each year thousands of young children are hospitalized for flu, and although relatively rare, some children die from influenza each year. Importantly, about 80% of reported flu-related deaths occurred in children who were not fully vaccinated. Although influenza is often a self-limited illness, influenza-related complications observed in young children include otitis media, respiratory tract diseases such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia, myositis, myocarditis, and central nervous events such as seizures, meningitis, or encephalitis.
Q: What makes cell-based vaccines advantageous to other vaccines?
A: Influenza viruses may undergo changes when they are grown in eggs for vaccine production; such egg adaptation may result in the vaccine strains being less well-matched to virus strains circulating during the influenza season. Influenza viruses grown in a mammalian cell culture system avoid egg adaptation, providing a closer match to wild-type viruses. In seasons where egg adaptation occurs, studies suggest cell-based influenza vaccines have the potential to be more effective than traditional, egg-based influenza vaccines. There are also data that suggest if the first exposure of a child to influenza is from an egg-adapted vaccine, antibody responses are often elicited to epitopes that are not present on wild-type viruses. Even with future vaccinations, the immune response is directed to the initial egg-adapted epitopes, and such immune priming may result in less protective responses in subsequent influenza seasons.
Q: Where will the CSL Seqirus influenza vaccine go from here?
A: FLUCELVAX QUADRIVALENT is now available for all eligible persons 6 months of age and older. With this expanded age indication, we can better protect all eligible persons from the flu and flu-related illness with this influenza vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the 2019/20 US influenza season, an estimated 46,000 influenza-related hospitalizations occurred in children under 18 years of age and there were 199 deaths reported in children with laboratory-confirmed flu infection.1 We will continue to invest in both our adjuvant and cell-based technologies to provide effective protection against influenza for as long as demand exists.
Q: What do you consider to be the most important piece of data from this trial?
A: The most important piece of data from this trial confirms for the first time that a cell-based quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (QIVc) is safe and well-tolerated in the youngest pediatric population for whom immunization is recommended. The vaccine elicited antibody responses that were of similar magnitude to those produced by a previously licensed vaccine for this age group and thus expected to be effective.
Q: Is there anything you would like to add?
A: As the flu season is upon us, vaccination is the best intervention to protect all persons starting at 6 months of age from getting sick with the flu. The burden of illness is especially high in young children. Its important to speak with your childs healthcare provider and schedule an appointment to get vaccinated. FLUCELVAX QUADRIVALENT is now approved for all eligible people 6 months and older.
Reference
1. Estimated flu-related illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States 20192020 flu season. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated October 7, 2022. Accessed October 18, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2019-2020.html#:~:text=The%20overall%20burden%20of%20influenza,related%20deaths%20(Table%201).
The call for taking the seasonal flu vaccine gains importance given the growing cases of seasonal influenza across the Sultanate of Oman, say practicing doctors.
Muscat: People in the Sultanate of Oman have been urged to get a jab of seasonal flu vaccine as the vaccine is safe.
The call for taking the seasonal flu vaccine gains importance given the growing cases of seasonal influenza across the Sultanate of Oman, according to the Ministry of Health and practicing doctors.
Speaking to Times of Oman, Dr. Zaid Al Hinai, a paediatric infectious diseases consultant at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), said: The spread of influenza cases is currently on the rise and we have started to monitor severe infections among children and adults. We have noticed cases among individuals who do not suffer from chronic diseases.
The seasonal influenza virus is similar to what we have seen in the past but I think the only difference is rising number of cases. But over the last two years it was the COVID-19 pandemic and not many were affected by seasonal flu. The herd immunity decreases if the virus is receding. So the infections this year are like infections for the first time, and the symptoms are stronger and more widespread.
He stressed the importance of vaccination against influenza and said that a seasonal flu vaccine is very important.
Dr. Al Hinai said: The vaccination is free at health centres for anyone with chronic diseases, obese, or aged over 50, and pregnant women as well. Vaccination is also available to everyone at private hospitals.
Speaking to Times of Oman, Dr. Fatma Hashim Abdullah Al Hashmi, Director of disease surveillance and control, Directorate general of health services North Batinah Governorate, said: We have noticed a rise in the cases of seasonal influenza in the Governorate of North Al Batinah. The rise in cases is not just confined to the governorate of North Al Batinah, but to all the governorates. Cases of seasonal influenza began in early September this year, and the main reason was community members mingled freely.
Dr. Fatma Al Hashmi added: The academic year began from September and as we know that children, especially in schools, play with each other and share a lot of things. They are more susceptible to infection. The transmission of the virus is fast as the children carry the virus to their homes.
She also indicated that the number of seasonal influenza cases is similar to what was noticed in 2018 and 2019.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the numbers were mixed as both seasonal influenza and COVID-19 patients experienced similar symptoms.
The doctor further said that people took precautions during the pandemic by wearing masks among other measures that helped in the control of the spread of seasonal influenza virus.
The doctor admitted that there is a reluctance among people to take the seasonal influenza vaccine.
The reason could be attributed to the lack of awareness of the benefits of taking vaccines in the society, she added.Do not heed rumours
She urged people not to heed rumours and stressed the importance of spreading awareness among family members and society on the need for vaccines.
Dr. Asim Al Manji, Head of surveillance section, Department of Disease Surveillance and Control in Muscat region, said:
There are several reasons for the growing cases of seasonal flu. The virus evolves every year and thats why we recommend a seasonal flu vaccine to curb the spread and help patients recover soon.
On the alleged reports that seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines weaken the immunity in the body, the doctor said: One should pay heed to such reports only if they are based on a globally recognised study or published in scientific journals.
People shouldnt go by personal conclusions or interpretations based on flimsy and baseless evidence. The rumours do no good to patients nor to society. Lets stop the spread of fake messages and rumours as it may cause the loss of lives.
Dr. Fatma Al Hashmi confirmed that the seasonal flu vaccine is currently available in government hospitals for certain groups, including the elderly (over 50 years), who suffer from chronic diseases or breathing problems, as well as pregnant women.
Those outside these groups can visit private health centres and receive vaccines to protect themselves, their families and loved ones from infection, he said.
