By Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer
Doctors have a message for vaccine-weary Americans: Dont skip your flu shot this fall and seniors, ask for a special extra-strength kind.
After flu hit historically low levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be poised for a comeback. The main clue: A nasty flu season just ended in Australia.
While theres no way to predict if the U.S. will be as hard-hit, last year we were going into flu season not knowing if flu was around or not. This year we know flu is back, said influenza specialist Richard Webby of St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis.
Annual flu shots are recommended starting with 6-month-old babies. Flu is most dangerous for people 65 and older, young children, pregnant women and people with certain health problems including heart and lung diseases.
Heres what to know:
As people get older, their immune system doesnt respond as strongly to standard flu vaccination. This year, people 65 or older are urged to get a special kind for extra protection.
There are three choices. Fluzone High-Dose and Flublok each contain higher doses of the main anti-flu ingredient. The other option is Fluad Adjuvanted, which has a regular dosage but contains a special ingredient that helps boost peoples immune response.
Seniors can ask what kind their doctor carries. But most flu vaccinations are given in pharmacies and some drugstore websites, such as CVS, automatically direct people to locations offering senior doses if their birth date shows they qualify.
Webby advised making sure older relatives and friends know about the senior shots, in case theyre not told when they seek vaccination.
They should at least ask, Do you have the shots that are better for me? Webby said. The bottom line is they do work better for this age group.
If a location is out of senior-targeted doses, its better to get a standard flu shot than to skip vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
All flu vaccines in the U.S. including types for people younger than 65 are quadrivalent, meaning they guard against four different flu strains. Younger people have choices, too, including shots for those with egg allergies and a nasal spray version called FluMist.
Australia just experienced its worst flu season in five years and what happens in Southern Hemisphere winters often foreshadows what Northern countries can expect, said Dr. Andrew Pekosz of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
And people have largely abandoned masking and distancing precautions that earlier in the pandemic also helped prevent the spread of other respiratory bugs like the flu.
This poses a risk especially to young children who may not have had much if any previous exposure to influenza viruses prior to this season, Pekosz added.
This year we will have a true influenza season like we saw before the pandemic, said Dr. Jason Newland, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Washington University in St. Louis.
He said childrens hospitals already are seeing an unusual early spike in other respiratory infections including RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and worries flu likewise will strike earlier than usual like it did in Australia.
The CDC advises a flu vaccine by the end of October but says they can be given any time during flu season. It takes about two weeks for protection to set in.
The U.S. expects 173 million to 183 million doses this year. And yes, you can get a flu shot and an updated COVID-19 booster at the same time one in each arm to lessen soreness.
The companies that make the two most widely used COVID-19 vaccines now are testing flu shots made with the same technology. One reason: When influenza mutates, the recipes of so-called mRNA vaccines could be updated more quickly than todays flu shots, most of which are made by growing influenza virus in chicken eggs.
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are recruiting 25,000 healthy U.S. adults to receive either its experimental influenza shot or a regular kind, to see how effective the new approach proves this flu season.
Rival Moderna tested its version in about 6,000 people in Australia, Argentina and other countries during the Southern Hemispheres flu season and is awaiting results.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Adam Cohen and Dr. Rod McEver| Special to The Oklahoman
I know health officials sometimes caution people not to get the influenza vaccine too early so that protection doesnt wear off before flu season ends. How long does immunity from a flu shot last? Would a booster after the first shot help?
For this question, I consulted Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., who has studied the influenza vaccine at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Dr. James is an immunologist, board-certified rheumatologist, and OMRFs vice president of clinical affairs. Heres what she said:
Flu activity in the U.S. usually increases in early fall and peaks from December to February. Those who get a flu vaccine before November should have adequate protection against severe disease and death through spring. Although two doses may sound better than one, flu boosters are currently only recommended for young children.
How long a flu shot lasts depends on individual immune systems, but the vaccine is usually effective for 6-8 months. Immunity wanes toward the end of our flu season. All viruses mutate, but influenza viruses do so rapidly. This perpetual viral drift necessitates the annual flu vaccine.
Studies of second doses of flu vaccine in one season have shown no benefit for most adults. But among the very young, its a different story.
For children ages 6 months to 8 years getting their first flu shot, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends two doses spaced at least four weeks apart. For a young immune system that hasnt seen the flu before, this booster dose of vaccine is important to the bodys ability to mount a protective response when it encounters the virus.
This double dose of protection for kids may impact their likelihood of contracting the flu in future seasons. In a 2016 study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, researchers found young children whod received two doses during a prior season were only half as likely as their peers to contract flu the next year.
McEver, a physician-scientist, is vice president of research at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Cohen is a marathoner and OMRFs senior vice president and general counsel. Submit your health questions for them to contact@omrf.org
Influenza cases are rising in the United States as the country prepares for a potentially severe season.
During the week ending Oct. 1-- the latest date for which data is available -- there were 969 cases of influenza A and 52 cases of influenza B reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What's more, over the same period, the percent positivity rate has risen from 0.49% to 2.5%.
Flu Cases in the United States
ABC News Photo Illustration
Outpatient visits for influenza-like illnesses have particularly risen for children ages 4 and younger to more than 120,000 during the week ending Oct. 1, a 25.5% spike from the roughly 95,600 visits for this age group that were seen the week ending Aug. 6.
The CDC has previously warned the U.S. may see a harsh flu season after few to no cases were reported over the last two years.
Similar trends are being seen on statewide level.
In New York, 596 cases of influenza were confirmed the week ending Oct. 1, according to the state's Department of Health. This is nearly four times higher than the 150 that were confirmed the same time last year.
Additionally, in Texas, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed 422 cases of influenza A and B during the week ending Oct. 1. During the same week last year, no cases were confirmed.
Another sign of the potentially severe season comes after Australia experienced its worst flu season in five years.
According to the country's National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, more than 30,000 cases were being per week during the season's height in June.
Comparatively, at the height of Australia's flu season in 2017, there were 25,000 cases being reported every week.
Researchers and modelers often look to the southern hemisphere, which experiences its flu season first -- typically from May to October -- to predict how the season will look in the U.S.
Last week, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky urged Americans ages 6 months and up to get a flu shot by the end of October.
"Over the past two years, we've seen some worrisome drops in flu vaccination coverage, especially in some groups of people who are at the highest risk of developing serious flu illness," she said during a press conference.
Earlier this year, the CDC published a report about the drop in flu vaccination uptake. Some reasons given include confusions that COVID-19 vaccines also protect against the flu, people making fewer visits to vaccine providers during the pandemic and fewer flu vaccination clinics open compared to years prior.
The Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee) is hosting community outreach clinics offering Tdap and Flu vaccines.
The Tdap vaccine is critical to preventing Tetanus, especially for those who may have sustained cuts, scratches, or wounds from cleaning up debris after the hurricane and those whose last booster was 10 or more years ago.
Both Tdap and Flu vaccines will be available at no cost on a first come, first served basis during the following outreach events.
Tuesday, Oct. 11
Pine Manor Community, 5547 10th Ave., Fort Myers.
From 11 a.m. 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 12
All Souls Episcopal Church, 14640 North Cleveland Ave., North Fort Myers
From 9 a.m. 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, Oct. 13
Suncoast Community Center, 2241 Case Lane, North Fort Myers
From 10 a.m. 1 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 14
Caf of Life, 26724 Nomad Drive Bonita Springs
From 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.
Tdap can be administered to individuals 11 years of age and older. Pregnant individuals may receive Tdap during their 27-36th week of pregnancy if they have not already received a dose during the current pregnancy.
Flu vaccine is recommended for anyone aged 6 months to 64 years. Individuals 65 years of age or older should consult with their PCP for a high dose flu shot for optimal protection. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Disaster recovery information is available on the Florida Disaster or on Lee Countys Hurricane Ian Response and Recovery website.
About the Florida Department of Health
The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit FloridaHealth.gov.
Oct 11, 2022 12:00 AM
Informacin en espaol
Typically, the fall and winter months are times when sickness increases and spreads more easily. This has been the case with respiratory viruses, especially influenza and, more recently, COVID-19. But this respiratory season may be different. Over the last two years, the public has undertaken preventive measures to help limit the spread of COVID-19. This has also helped prevent flu transmission. Now, as more people relax these precautions, disease is more likely to spread.
The good news is there are things you can do to help protect yourself and others. Heres how:
Predictions about influenza season in the U.S. are based on what Australia and other countries recently experienced during their respiratory seasonsand this year hasnt been a good one.
Australia saw a five-fold increase in severity and deaths from influenza, says Kencee Graves, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Chief Medical Officer for Inpatient Health at University of Utah Health. That is what makes us here in the U.S. a little concerned about how severe this flu season could be.
Who should get a flu vaccine?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone six months and older to get a flu shot every year. There are some rare exceptions, and specific groups should get certain types of influenza vaccines.
People ages 65 years and older, who are immunocompromised, or who are pregnant, are at higher risk of experiencing serious complications from influenza. Its important for these groups to talk to their health care provider before getting a flu shot.
When is the best time to get a flu shot?
Its recommended to get a flu vaccine in September or October. Graves says that is because flu season generally starts in October and continues through March. We want the flu vaccine to be present in the body long enough to give someone immunity through the entire season, she says.
This is the time of year when we have typically started to see an increase in COVID-19 cases. Thats because more people are spending time indoors and spreading the virus to other people. In addition, the SARS-CoV-2 virus evolves and creates new variants. In the past, this is what has caused COVID-19 to become better at evading immune responses from vaccines or previous infection.
Two years into the pandemic, the idea was to create boosters that were specific to the circulating variants, says Hannah Imlay, MD, an assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at U of U Health. These updated boosters are intended to generate a more specific antibody response.
While COVID-19 vaccines continue to work well to protect against severe disease and hospitalization, they do not always protect against infection or mild illness. The updated Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 boosters are designed to protect against both the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the most recent circulating Omicron variant. This updated booster provides a more specific antibody response against the most recent circulating variants and should better protect you, Imlay says.
Is COVID-19 still a threat?
Despite a relaxation in prevention measures, COVID-19 is still sickening tens of thousands of people and killing hundreds of people a day in the United States. The difference now is that COVID-19 no longer requires a large-scale public health response. But the fact is, the virus will likely not go away. Its important to still practice prevention measures around people who are at increased risk for severe disease or when COVID-19 community levels are high in your area.
We know that vaccination has been very helpful over the course of the pandemic, particularly since the Omicron variant hit in the winter of 2021, Imlay says. Weve seen that the severity of disease has gone down, and there are multiple reasons for that.
Much research now supports the fact that COVID-19 vaccination prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Thats what makes vaccination the single most important tool for providing protection against severe COVID-19, Imlay says.
When can I get the updated COVID-19 booster?
You can receive the updated booster at least two months after your primary vaccine series or two months after your last COVID-19 booster shot. If youve been recently infected by COVID-19, the CDC recommends waiting three months to get an updated booster dose.
Can I get a flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster at the same time?
Yes, data have found it is safe to receive both vaccines at the same visit. Its possible to experience side effects, such as fatigue, headache, and muscle aches following vaccination, but most symptoms are mild and resolve quickly, according to a CDC study.
Im immunocompromised, older than 65, or pregnantwhen is the best time to get a vaccine?
Vaccination is most important for these groups. They are more likely to get seriously ill, hospitalized, and even die from influenza and COVID-19.
Pregnant people are not only at risk of severe illness, but once born, their children are not authorized to get a COVID-19 vaccine until they are 6 months old. However, pregnant people who receive a COVID-19 vaccine or an updated booster pass on antibodies to their babies, which will help protect them from those illnesses.
It is recommended that people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised get three shots as their primary COVID-19 vaccine seriesfollowed by an updated booster shot two months later. If you are immunocompromised, talk to your health care provider about when to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.
Because this group has a lowered immune response, some are eligible for additional therapies to prevent SARS-CoV-2, such as monoclonal antibodies. These therapies are for immunocompromised patients to decrease severe outcomes from COVID-19. Patients who are high risk for severe outcomes (over 65 years of age, chronic medical conditions, immunocompromised) are also eligible for additional therapies to treat SARS-CoV-2, which are best delivered as early as possible after diagnosis.
Can you mix and match your COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses?
Yes, it is safe to mix and match mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
How long does the updated booster protect you?
Its not yet knownmore data is needed. The previous monovalent boosters protected against symptomatic infection for about four to six months and helped protect from severe disease for much longer. However, the updated boosters may not work as well for those with weakened immune systems. The efficacy of updated boosters could also change with new virus variants
Can children get an updated COVID-19 booster?
Children under 12 years of age are not authorized for COVID-19 booster shots. The good news is COVID-19 vaccines are available for children ages six months and older. Data from mRNA vaccines have shown these vaccines to be safe and effective among children.
While vaccination is your best line of defense against influenza and COVID-19, there are other respiratory viruses such as rhinovirus (common cold) and RSV. To help protect yourself, practice these prevention measures:
Its important that we all do everything we can to maintain our health, Graves says. And that includes getting vaccinated, staying home when youre ill, and doing things to prevent disease transmission like washing your hands and wearing a mask in crowded areas.
Uh oh. I feel like the worst mom ever. Before I explain, can we all agree that life gets busy at times? I have a family of five, and there have been lots and lots of vaccines lately. Between two different COVID shots, two different boosters, plus regular vaccinations for school and sports, my head was spinning. Add flu shots for all five of us to the mix and I was bound to screw up.
I was laying in bed feeling very pleased with my momming that day. As I drifted off into my slumber, I marveled at how I was able to work a full day, get my middle childs sports physical taken care of, update all her shots, and to top it off, I evengot the pot roast in the crockpot on time. I was perfectly at peace until I realized that I already gotmy childa flu vaccine, yes I double dipped.
It is so easy to do when you pop into a drug store to just get it, and in my case, I forgot we even did it at all. (In my defense, they shell those things out like Tic Tacs). Now, I'm left wondering did I poison my kid? Will she grow athird arm? What in the world did I do?
Photo by Raghavendra V. Konkathi on Unsplash
If You Get An Extra Flu Shot By Mistake Does It Hurt You?
The short answer is no, you will be just fine. Whew! My child is over 9 years old but kids that ageactually do get two shots the first time.
For an older child or adult, two flu shots are not necessary, but they are not going to be dangerous.
If you overdid your flu shot this season, you can and should still get your flu shot next season.
The doc said that you would have to get dozens of flu shots before it caused you any harm.
How Do I Know If I Have The Flu Or Just A Cold?
These are the questions you should answer to help determine if you have the flu:
Do you have a high fever?
Do you have a stuffy nose?
Do you have a headache?
Do you have a severe cough?
Do you have severe aches and pains?
Do you feel fatigued?
Do you have a sore throat?
Do you have chills?
Are you throwing up?
If you have more than three of these together, then you probably have the flu.
To be sure, you can take a flu test like an RIDT or a Rapid Molecular Assays test which is more accurate.
We are all trying to avoid the flu but whatever you do, don't use Clorox wipes on these items!
Don't Use Disinfecting Wipes On These Items
The Jersey Shore Businesses We've Lost During COVID
At 100 years old, Molly Ingham has been made the poster girl of a NHS campaign to highlight the importance of getting a flu jab amid concerns about high rates of infections this winter. PETER BARRON reports
A PICTURE of health, the remarkable Molly Ingham is accustomed to being in the driving seat.
As a 16-year-old 84 years ago she became one of the first women in her hometown of Darlington to learn to drive, and her skills behind the wheel were put to exceptionally good use during the war.
Serving as a District Intelligence Officer, one of her tasks was to collect officers from Darlington Railway Station, then drive them round the local area, so they could inspect bomb sites for clues about the enemy.
What she didnt know, until after the war, was that one of her VIP passengers had been none other than General Montgomery.
Now, as she prepares for her 101st birthday next month, Molly has been chosen for another important job to help steer a campaign by the Darlington Primary Care Network, aimed at promoting the importance of people getting a flu jab.
We wanted someone to help us get the message out there, and Mollys the perfect choice to be our flu vaccine role model because shes had an incredible life, and is a real star in the local community, declares Chris McEwan, a lay member of the Darlington Primary Care Network.
With an infectious smile that can light up any room, Molly lives independently in a cottage at Croft-on-Tees, and she greets nurse, Jean Rutter, like an old friend when she arrives to administer this years flu jab ahead of winter's arrival.
Jean, a practice nurse at Rockliffe Court Surgery, in nearby Hurworth-on-Tees, has been visiting Molly annually for more than ten years to make sure she has the protection of the flu jab.
Molly, Crofts oldest resident, doesnt flinch as the needle goes into her arm, and she takes a no-nonsense approach to the proceedings: The jab is there for the asking, she says. You should trust your doctor if your doctor says you should have it, then you should have it. Do as youre told and get on with it. I just take it in my stride.
And the Darlington Primary Care Network is hoping that others not just the elderly will follow Mollys example.
Flu is a respiratory illness, which can cause serious complications, and can be devastating, explains Dr Kirsty Walker, who sits on the board of the Darlington Primary Care Network, and is one of the clinical leads for the Covid-19 vaccine programme and the rollout of the flu and Covid boosters.
There are concerns that there will be an increase in circulating community infections this winter. Getting your flu vaccine is the best way of protecting yourself, and the most vulnerable in our society, from the effects of flu.
Its quick and easy to have done and tends to be well tolerated. If you are eligible for a flu vaccine, please dont hesitate to arrange an appointment.
Health officials are anticipating a worse than usual flu season this year because of a reduction in immunity resulting from low levels of flu over the past few winters.
Holly Larman, Lead Nurse for the Darlington Primary Network, has been at the heart of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, as well as supporting local people over many flu seasons.
Many people who get flu will feel well again after a few days of rest and recuperation," says Holly. "However, if you have an underlying health condition, you could end up with complications from flu, potentially resulting in a hospital stay.
To help protect yourself and loved ones, as well as to reduce strain on NHS services this winter, we strongly recommend that those who are eligible should have their flu vaccine through their GP surgery, or at pharmacies across the town.
Photographs, taken while Molly was having her flu jab, are to be used on posters and other promotional material highlighting the importance of having a flu jab, and her family are justifiably proud of her.
Whod have thought shed be a poster girl at her age! laughs her daughter, Barbara Auld. Were just glad she gets her flu jab every year. Its important to her health, and she's so special, we want her here a lot longer 100 years isnt enough!
AS well as becoming the poster girl of the flu vaccination campaign, Molly has also been busy catching up with an old friend
Back in 1936, as 14-year-old Molly Marr, she got a job as a dressmakers apprentice with a Mrs Rourk, on Victoria Road, in Darlington.
Thats where she met Mona Durbridge, 15, and little did they know they would still be friends beyond their 100th birthdays.
Their favourite part of the day at Mrs Rourks was when Whistle While You Work came on the wireless, and theyd sing along while they sewed.
I always remember the day I started, Vera Lynn was singing When I grow too old to dream, Ill have you to remember. It was our favourite song, and wed sing along to our hearts content. It was our only entertainment back then!
While Molly undertook her wartime duties as a District Intelligence Officer, Mona became an Aycliffe Angel assembling detonators for bombs in a munitions factory at Newton Aycliffe.
Mona later moved to Scotland with her husband, Fred Garbutt, but returned to Hurworth 30 years later, and her friendship with Molly was rekindled.
Sadly, when the pandemic struck, Mona moved to Cambridgeshire to live with her daughter, and the friends hadnt seen each other since then.
However, Monas family were recently taking a holiday in Northumberland, so she was able to call in to see Molly on the way, and the memories came flooding back as soon as they saw each other.
Its hard to believe that Ive known Mona for 86 years she looks as good as ever! exclaimed Molly with her poster girl smile.
Contributors: KA, JPR, and DS contributed equally to this work as lead author. WHS and MWT contributed equally to this work as senior author. Guarantors of this work include WHS (protocol and data integrity), KA (statistical analysis), ASL (viral sequencing laboratory methods), JDChappell (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction laboratory methods), and NJT (antibody measurement methods). WHS was responsible for the decision to submit the manuscript, KA, JPR, DS, MWT, and WHS drafted the initial manuscript (without outside assistance). KA, JPR, DS, MG, AAG, TM, SG, BH, KT, JDCasey, NM, AZ, NIS, KWG, DCF, MH, DNH, HA, MP, AEF, MCE, MG, AM, NJJ, VS, JSS, IDP, SMB, ETM, AM, ASL, AK, CLH, LWB, CtL, AD, JGW, AJG, NQ, SYC, CM, CR, HB, JHK, JDChappell, NH, CGG, TR, WBS, AB, CJL, KH, SNL, NJT, SP, MLM, MMP, MWT, and WHS conceptualized the study methods. KA, MWT, CJL, KH, and YZ were responsible for statistical analysis and data management. WHS acquired funding. KA, JPR, DS, MG, AAG, TM, SG, DH, HKT, JDCasey, NM, AZ, NIS, KWG, DCF, MH, DNH, HA, MP, AEF, MCE, MG, AM, NJJ, VS, JSS, IDP, SMB, ETM, AM, ASL, AK, CLH, LWB, CtL, AD, JGW, AJG, NQ, SYC, CM, CR, HB, JHK, JDChappell, NH, CG, TR, WBS, AB, CJL, KH, SNL, NJT, SP, MLM, MMP, MWT, and WHS critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content. The corresponding author attests that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and that no others meeting the criteria have been omitted.
Competing interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare: Funding for this work was provided to all participating sites by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SMB reports grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Defense (DoD), participation as the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) chair for Hamilton Ventilators, and participation as a member of the DSMB for New York University covid-19 clinical trials. JDCasey reports funding from NIH and DoD. SYC reports consulting fees from La Jolla Pharmaceuticals, PureTech Health, and Kiniska Pharmaceuticals, payments or honorariums from La Jolla Pharmaceuticals, and participation on a DSMB for an investigator initiated study conducted at UCLA. JDChappell reports grants and other support from NIH. AD reports consulting fees from ALung technologies. MCE reports payments or honorariums from Abbott Laboratory for sponsored talks. DCF reports consulting fees from Cytovale and participation on a DSMB for Medpace. AEF reports grants from NIH. MG reports grants from CDC, CDC-Abt Associates, CDC-Westat, and Janssen, and a leadership role as co-chair of the Infectious Disease and Immunization Committee of the Texas Pediatric Society, Texas Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics. KWG reports funding from NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for the ACTIV-4HT NECTAR trial. AAG reports grants from NIH, DoD, AbbVie, and Faron Pharmaceuticals. MG reports grants from NIH/NHLBI and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), consulting fees from Endpoint, a leadership role on the American Thoracic Society (ATS) executive committee and board as well as support from ATS for meeting travel expenses, and participation on a DSMB for Regeneron. CG reports grants from NIH, CDC, Food and Drug Administration, AHRQ, Sanofi, and Syneos Health and consulting fees from Pfizer, Merck, and Sanofi. DNH reports grants from NIH/NHLBI for the ACTIV-4HT NECTAR trial and Incyte and participation as a DSMB chair for the SAFE EVICT Trial of vitamin C in COVID-19. NH reports grants from NIH, Quidel, and Sanofi and honorariums for speaking at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) conference. CLH reports grants from NIH and American Lung Association (ALA) and participation as a DSMB member for iSPY COVID and Team (ANZICS). NJJ reports grants from NIH/NHLBI/NINDS and the University of Washington Royalty Research Fund and payment for expert testimony for the Washington Department of Health. AK reports grants from United Therapeutics, Gilead Sciences, and 4D Medical and a leadership role on the guidelines committee for Chest. JHK reports grants from NIH/NIAID. ASL reports grants from CDC, NIH/NIAID, and Burroughs Wellcome Fund and consulting fees from Sanofi and Roche. CJL reports grants from NIH, DoD, CDC, bioMerieux, Entegrion, Endpoint Health, and AbbVie, patents for risk stratification in sepsis and septic shock, participation on DSMBs for clinical trials unrelated to the current work, a leadership role on the executive committee for the Board of Directors of the Association for Clinical and Translational Science, and stock options in Bioscape Digita. ETM reports grants from Merck, CDC, and NIH and payment/honorariums from the Michigan Infectious Disease Society. TM reports payment/honorariums from the Society of Hospital Medicine. AM reports grants from CDC and NIAID/NIH and participation on a DSMB for the FDA. IDP reports grants from NIH, Janssen, Regeneron, and Asahi Kasei Pharma. TR reports grants from AbbVie, consulting fees from Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, and Cytovale, membership on a DSMB for Sanofi, a leadership role as immediate past president of the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, and stock options in Cumberland Pharmaceuticals. WHS reports receiving the primary funding for this project from the CDC, and research funding from Merck and Gilead Sciences. WBS reports grants from the NIH/NHLBI.
One child dies every two minutes from malaria. Wider use of a new vaccine can make a dent in that devastating statistic.
The World Health Organization recommends the vaccine for broad use in sub-Saharan Africa and other areas with moderate to high malaria transmission, after years of studies in some 900,000 children showed it to be safe and effective.
But despite this widely hailed breakthrough, the malaria vaccine hasnt been met with the enthusiasm we think it deserves. Some big players, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Fund donors we admire and partner with on several projects have lamented the vaccines relatively low reduction in severe malaria when used alone and say it costs too much, despite the clear cost-benefits and efficacy synergies the WHO demonstrated when piloting the vaccine in real-world contexts.
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Other concerns include the logistical challenges in distributing the vaccine and the potential availability of more effective treatments in the future.
To be sure, promising treatments using monoclonal antibodies and an mRNA vaccine are under investigation. And early results on another experimental vaccine report higher efficacy than seen in earlier vaccines. But experimental vaccines have not been studied in the thousands of people required to establish a vaccine is safe and effective over the longer term.
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The malaria vaccine now in hand could save millions of lives in just a few years, and there is no time to wait.
Progress in the fight against malaria has stalled in recent years, and was then knocked off track by the pandemic. The world saw a 40% decline in malaria mortality from 2000 to 2015, and then mortality held steady for several years. But in 2020, deaths rose 12%, largely due to Covid-19-related disruptions.
Gavi, an alliance of countries and private funders working to boost global immunization, has pledged a $155.7 million investment via grants and other support to introduce the vaccine in Ghana, Malawi, and Kenya.
As public health practitioners in malaria prevention and control now working to save mothers and children from this devastating disease in several countries we cant fathom hesitating in embracing this groundbreaking tool now.
One objection to the vaccine, known as RTS,S, is its relative cost. The WHO estimates the average price to be $5 per dose, while existing interventions like insecticide-treated bed nets average about $1 each.
Yet the WHO found the vaccine to be overall highly cost effective, comparable to other new vaccines and malaria treatments, with no negative effect on the uptake of other preventive measures, such as insecticide-treated bed nets. A related hesitation is that the vaccines efficacy against severe malaria when used alone hovers around 30% in large trials. But taming the parasite that causes malaria with thousands more genes than a virus requires a multi-pronged plan of attack.
For example, when coupled with seasonal malaria chemoprevention (an antimalaria medicine given intensively at times of high transmission), the vaccine has been found to be 60% effective. The combination substantially lowered the incidence of severe malaria and death from malaria than either intervention alone. Its further proof that a variety of approaches can have a bigger impact when used in tandem.
And making the vaccine available as an option in addition to bed nets and seasonal malaria chemoprevention resulted in more than 90% of children under five having access to at least one of these tools.
These percentages arent just numbers on a page. They can translate to tens of thousands of lives saved.
Whats more, the additional public health impact of the vaccine on top of existing interventions is estimated at 200 to 700 deaths averted per 100,000 children vaccinated. The cost per life saved is comparable to other new vaccines.
What would that look like in real life?
Nigeria, Africas most populous nation, is home to an estimated 31 million children under age five. In 2020, more than 130,000 children in this age group perished due to malaria.
Using the lower-end value of 200 lives saved per 100,000 children vaccinated, that could translate into about 62,000 lives saved in just one year in Nigeria alone. These are children who will be alive, loved by their families, and hopefully able to enjoy bright and productive futures.
Another caution with the vaccine is the logistical complexity in distribution.
It is true that the vaccine requires four doses, more than many other childhood vaccines. That said, current seasonal malaria chemoprevention campaigns require three daily visits for four months, a similarly logistically challenging task that many countries in line for the malaria vaccine have mastered.
National scale-up of once-novel malaria interventions has historically led to a better understanding of their effectiveness and has yielded important lessons in operationalization. When insecticide-treated bed nets were being promoted for scale-up throughout Africa, for example, some doubted they could be made available for every person and feared potentially budget-busting costs. But once the effort began, approaches to reach isolated communities in cost-efficient ways were identified and coverage rates rose significantly, reaching previously unprotected people, including children under five. These campaigns have saved millions of lives.
Malarias ability to trick the human immune response and its sophisticated life cycle make it a wily adversary, turning the effort to combat it into a decades-long quest.
Vaccines have done amazing things for many of the worlds toughest health challenges, sometimes even creating the opportunity to eradicate a disease. But waiting for the perfect, 100% effective, one-dose, lifetime vaccine means waiting for years and millions more kids will die. Its time to use the full arsenal of tools to protect them.
Marian W. Wentworth is the president and CEO of Management Sciences for Health, a nonprofit that works to strengthen health systems around the world. Thomas Hall is the organizations senior principal technical advisor for malaria.
WASHINGTON - Pentagon leaders admit a serious recruiting crisis threatens U.S. military readiness for decades to come. Yet, hundreds of service members continue to be discharged for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
A group of Republican lawmakers wants answers to why the vaccine mandate remains in place, even after the president publicly declared the pandemic over.
In the U.S. Coast Guard, more than 2,500 members are on-record for refusing a COVID vaccine. Many have been discharged, while others are still waiting on the official order.
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CBN News recently spoke with a Coast Guard member who's continuing to serve even with his job in limbo.
For those serving at Air Station Clearwater, in Florida, they're spending the time they have left saving lives in search and rescue efforts following Hurricane Ian.
"That's what I signed up to do. I have a passion for this job... I love the people I work with and I love the impact that we have on the people we serve, on the people we help," said Aviation Survival Technician First Class Chad Watson.
Watson has served in the military for 18 years. With just two years left until he's eligible to retire, he's now among those facing discharge.
"Weighing the risk versus gain, you know we're taught to do that our whole career. Well, the risk of getting COVID for me is very minimal, with the effects that it has, and what it can do to me versus the effects of the vaccine, which is unknown. So, going back to the risk, why would I take an unknown risk when I know that there's a minimal risk on something else," Watson explained to CBN News.
GOP lawmakers are pushing to save the jobs of people in his situation.
"The nature and effectiveness of the vaccine haveevolved. It started with, 'Absolutely it stops the spread...' But I think it's pretty clear now that it doesn't stop the spread. It's more of a decision on what type of symptoms you want to incur or risk in your personal capacity, making it much more of a personal health decision," U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) said during a military readiness hearing.
In a recent letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee demanded answers on the status of the military's vaccine mandate. They point out that members of the Armed Forces are now one of only a few groups left in the executive branch still subject to termination for failure to take the vaccine.
They also reference the following statement from President Biden during a recent 60 Minutes interview. "The pandemic is over. If you notice no one is wearing masks, everybody seems to be in pretty good shape," Biden said.
So far, there's been no reconsideration from the military. Watson says he hopes the DOD will reverse the decision, not only for his own career but due to the strain more discharges would put on those still serving.
"In my job alone we're understaffed by a lot. We're about 89 percent capacity from where we should be and we're going to lose potentially 19 more from where we're currently at if they discharge us and release us from active duty," Watson said.
Republicans say this will be a top priority if they take back the House and Senate in November. In the meantime, they wait on answers from the Pentagon.
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