The plan includes an expansion to the NHS app which will allow patients to book appointments through the app, see invitation alerts and get appointment notifications.
People will also have better access to medical records through the app, with parents able to check the vaccination status of their children online.
NHS England says it aims to fully implement theses proposals, and the entire strategy, by 2025/26.
The NHS also intends to strike deeper into the community and build on existing initiatives like school vaccination teams attending parents evenings, family clinics at childrens hospitals and wellbeing hubs.
Community work will centre around protecting underserved areas and improving vaccine confidence.
NHS Englands chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said: Through the NHS app, well make sure booking a jab can be as easy as booking a cab so millions more people can get vaccinated users will be able to access their full vaccine status in a matter of seconds and book jabs with a simple swipe and tap.
Vaccines will become part of the one-stop-shop service, with NHS staff set to expand the offering of blood pressure tests and other healthcare advice.
Professor Dame Jenny Harries, the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, added: The link between uptake rates and vaccine confidence and accessibility is critical and I welcome this renewed focus by NHS England on innovative delivery approaches responding to local need.
Health minister, Maria Caulfield, commented: To ensure as many people get vaccinated as possible, we need to make sure the programme fits around peoples lives.
She continued: The Vaccine Strategy will build on the brilliant work already underway to make it easier than ever to get vaccinated and to reach people who would not typically come forward for their jabs.
Image credit: iStock
The KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor has been tracking intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine since December 2020, when the initial vaccine first became available. Throughout the past three years, partisanship has continued to play an outsized role in predicting both intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine as well as other pandemic-related attitudes and behaviors. With the latest COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Republicans are once again among the groups least likely to report having gotten the updated shot. This data note examines how vaccine attitudes and uptake differ between Republicans who sit on different sides of a particular ideological divide within Republican Party support of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
The MAGA movement has attracted many Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, with six in ten (58%) saying they support the MAGA movement, representing about one quarter (23%) of all U.S. adults, according to the latest KFF Tracking Poll.
Generally, MAGA supporting Republicans tend to be older and have lower levels of education than Republicans who do not support the MAGA movement, with a larger share of MAGA Republicans being ages 50 and older (58% vs. 41%) and having less than a college degree (81% vs. 53%). MAGA supporting Republicans and Republicans who do not support the MAGA movement look similar across gender, race, and ethnicity.
Majorities of adults across partisan groups have reported receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine that has been on the market since December 2020, though larger shares of Republicans compared to Democrats and independents remained resistant, with at least a quarter saying they would definitely not get a COVID-19 vaccine throughout the three years of KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor surveys.
The November COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor finds that among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, similar majorities of both those who support the MAGA movement (60%) and those who do not support the MAGA movement (70%) say they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine (10 percentage points is within the margin of sampling error).
However, Republicans under 50 years old who support the MAGA movement are particularly resistant to getting a COVID-19 vaccine, with about four in ten saying they have received at least one dose, 20 percentage points lower than their non-MAGA supporting counterparts (39% vs. 59%). Given the increased vulnerability of adults ages 50 and older to the virus, and consistent with our findings that across party lines, older people have been more likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine, large majorities of older MAGA and non-MAGA supporting Republicans ages 50 and older report having gotten a COVID-19 dose.
The newest COVID-19 vaccine recently became available in September of this year, with somewhat muted uptake compared to initial vaccine uptake. As of early November, two in ten adults say they have gotten the updated vaccine including one in three Democrats (32%), 16% of independents, and 12% of Republicans. Among Republicans, alignment with the MAGA movement is a strong predictor of vaccine intentions with supporters of the MAGA movement the fiercest in their opposition to the latest shot.
Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, about one in four (26%) of those who do not support MAGA say they have gotten or probably or definitely will get the latest updated COVID-19 vaccine, compared to about one in six (17%) of those who support MAGA saying they have gotten or plan to get the vaccine.
Most Republicans, regardless of MAGA support, say they will not get the latest updated COVID-19 vaccine with nearly two-thirds (63%) of MAGA Republicans saying they will definitely not get the newest vaccine, a slightly larger share than the half of their non-MAGA counterparts (52%) who say the same. The difference between Republican MAGA supporters and non-supporters in the share who have gotten the updated COVID-19 vaccine or say they will persists even after controlling for other demographics of age, gender, community type (such as urban, rural, or suburban communities), education, and household income.
In addition to being among the least likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 at all, younger MAGA Republicans are among the most adamant that they will definitely not get the updated vaccine. Seven in ten (70%) MAGA supporting Republicans under age 50 say they will definitely not get the updated shot, compared to 54% of Republicans and leaners in this age group who do not support the MAGA movement (and 34% of the public overall).
As of September, almost six in ten (57%) non-MAGA identifying Republicans said they had already gotten or definitely will get the flu shot this season, compared to 43% of MAGA supporting Republicans. Interestingly, Republicans who do not identify with the MAGA movement are not significantly more likely than MAGA Republicans to say they normally get an annual flu shot. This could suggest that the MAGA impact on vaccine uptake could be a relatively new phenomenon that public health officials may be facing in the years to come.
The differences between Republican MAGA supporters and non-supporters are not only evident in their uptake of vaccines, but also in their assessment of the safety of different types of vaccines. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who support the MAGA movement are less likely than their non-MAGA counterparts to express confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines (29% vs. 44%), respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, vaccines (41% vs. 61%), and flu vaccines (53% vs. 74%).
Delivering the two-dose mpox vaccine, called JYNNEOS, in smaller than the usual doses approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and by injection between layers of the skin rather than by the standard route under the skin, produced a detectable immune response, a new study shows. This response occurred in recipients whether they were living with or without HIV.
Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the study showed no significant difference in the strength of the immune response (as gauged by the amount of detectable IgG antibodies, immune proteins that help kill the mpox virus) between most of those who received their vaccine injections in small doses between layers of the skin (intradermally) and those who received it as prescribed in full-dose injections just beneath the skin (subcutaneously). Because of limited space between skin layers, intradermal injections can only accommodate small doses, while larger doses generally require subcutaneous injections.
The smaller doses, about one-fifth of the usual full dose and spread out by as long as three months, were designed to stretch the short supply of vaccine available after an outbreak of the disease, previously known as monkeypox, in May 2022. The IgG antibodies were detected in some cases more than six months after the second and final dose of the vaccine.
The smaller-dose regimen of the JYNNEOS vaccine, which was originally designed to protect against smallpox but also known to be effective against its relative mpox, was approved by the U.S. government during the shortage in August 2022. Mpox infection in a small number of cases can be life-threatening.
More than 3,800 New York City residents were infected with the virus, spread by bodily fluids and skin contact, including during sex, and mostly over the course of the outbreak in the summer of 2022. The mpox vaccine is now routinely recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for people at risk. About 155,000 New Yorkers were vaccinated during this time, mostly using smaller doses.
Researchers say that a resurgence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in November 2023, with nearly 13,000 suspected cases and some 600 deaths, poses the risk of another outbreak beyond Africa, to other regions and to New York City in particular.
Reported in the New England Journal of Medicine online December 14, researchers say they found that people fully vaccinated with two smaller doses had an immune response four times stronger than those who did not complete the vaccination series and had only one dose.
Our study shows that smaller vaccine doses of mpox vaccine administered in two doses, spread out over weeks to months, were similar to the full (subcutaneous) FDA-approved dose, said study co-lead investigator and infectious disease specialist Angelica Cifuentes Kottkamp, MD. Implementing the smaller dose was a good emergency measure in the face of immediate shortages of the vaccine, said Dr. Kottkamp, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Health.
Among its other findings, the study showed that those previously vaccinated against smallpox as part of routine childhood vaccination programs also had a stronger immune response than those who had had no previous smallpox vaccination. Levels of detectable IgG antibodies in blood samples were 2.7-times higher among those previously vaccinated against smallpox who additionally received the JYNNEOS vaccine compared to those who were not dually vaccinated.
Because of their weakened immune systems, people living with HIV are particularly vulnerable to co-infection. The study found no difference in the magnitude of the immune response between vaccinated people living with HIV (with immune CD4 cell counts above 200) and vaccinated people who are HIV negative.
Our findings offer valuable support to the people most at risk of being infected with mpox that in the case of an mpox resurgence, infectious disease specialists have sufficient vaccination tools and knowledge to deal with it effectively in the short term, said study senior investigator Mark J. Mulligan, MD.
Dr. Mulligan, the Thomas S. Murphy Professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone, where he also serves as the director of the Vaccine Center and the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, says more research is needed to determine if additional vaccine doses against mpox are needed for optimal protection and to know how long, in months or years, protection lasts. The amount of emergency stockpiles of mpox vaccine and the ability to ramp up vaccine production quickly in case of future outbreaks, he notes, also need to be examined.
Some 145 New Yorkers vaccinated against mpox participated in the new study. Most were men (81 percent), and almost all (89 percent) self-identified as being LGBTQ+. Thirty-five (24 percent) were people living with HIV, and 29 (20 percent) had previously been vaccinated against smallpox.
The global public health emergency declared by the World Health Organization as a result of the mpox viral outbreak ended in May 2023, one year after it started. However, infections continue to occur globally, with more than 91,000 confirmed cases as of October 31 this year, including 167 deaths in 116 countries. In the United States, more than 31,000 people have been infected, according to the CDC, with 55 deaths. More than 1.2 million doses of the mpox vaccine have been administered in the United States.
Funding support for the study was provided through National Institutes of Health grants R01AI148574 and 75N93021C00014, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Blavatnik Family Foundation.
Besides Dr. Kottkamp and Dr. Mulligan, other NYU Langone researchers involved in this study are co-lead investigators Marie I. Samanovic-Golden, PhD, and Ralf Duerr, MD, PhD; and study co-investigators Aaron Oom, PhD, and Hayley Belli, PhD. Other study investigators are Jane Zucker, MD, MSc, and Jennifer Rosen, MD, at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
David March Phone: 212-404-3528 David.March@NYULangone.org
Are you still unsure about getting the flu vaccine this winter?
A recent meta-analysis study published in "Scientific Reports" suggests that the flu vaccine offers more than just protection against the flu. Among individuals who received the flu vaccine, there was a 26% decrease in the risk of heart attacks and a 33% decrease in deaths from cardiovascular diseases.
Conducted by researchers from the University of Tehran, the study analyzed data from 9,059 patients with an average age of 61.3 years. Of these, 4,529 received the flu vaccine while 4,530 were given a placebo. The participants were monitored for approximately nine months.
The study compared data from five different studies that examined both cardiovascular health and flu vaccination status. Results showed that those who received the flu vaccine experienced significantly fewer major cardiovascular events, with 517 events compared to 621 events in the placebo group.
The researchers propose several theories as to why the flu vaccine protects heart health, including its ability to reduce inflammation caused by the flu, prevent secondary infections, and stabilize atherosclerotic plaque, which can be weakened during the flu.
While the study findings suggest a strong association between flu vaccine recipients and a lower risk of cardiovascular events, the researchers emphasize the need for further research to clarify the precise mechanisms behind this association and explore the long-term effects of influenza vaccination on the cardiovascular system.
Considering the potential to save lives, the researchers recommend that doctors prioritize vaccination as a preventive measure for patients already suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
However, despite the numerous benefits of the vaccine, Israel has seen a significant decrease in flu vaccinations this year. Representatives from various health insurance funds reported this during a recent Knesset's Health Committee discussion. The decline in vaccination rates was particularly noticeable among adults over 65, who had the highest flu-related deaths last year. Approximately 80% of individuals who died from flu complications belonged to this age group, with 7,287 confirmed flu-related hospitalizations and 266 deaths during the previous season.
Considering the current situation, is it too late to get vaccinated? According to a health fund report, only 41% of individuals aged 65 and over received the flu vaccine last winter, compared to about 49% in the previous season. Significant decreases were also observed in other risk groups, except pregnant women. The data provided indicates that only 10.4% of all insured individuals have been vaccinated so far this year, compared to 13.2% during the same period last year.
The Ministry of Health estimates, based on the CDC's projections, suggest that 8-15% of the population may be affected by influenza, with half of them seeking medical attention. Additionally, they estimate 8,000-18,000 hospitalizations and 1,000-1,500 deaths related to flu.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing influenza ranges from 40-60% in the general population, depending on factors such as age and overall health.
So, is it too late to get vaccinated for the current winter season? Experts from the Centers for Disease Control in the United States (CDC) suggest receiving the vaccine late rather than not at all, which is better. They emphasize that the influenza season typically peaks around February, making it still worthwhile to get vaccinated now.
Buncombe County reports first flu-related death of the 2023 - 2024 season
by Kari Barrows
FILE - Flu vaccine - Buncombe County Health and Human Services received notification on Dec. 11, 2023, regarding the first reported flu-associated death of a Buncombe County resident during the 202324 flu season. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS)
Buncombe County health officials say the first county resident has been reported deceased from a flu-related death.
Buncombe County Health and Human Services received notification on Dec. 11, 2023, regarding the first reported flu-associated death of a Buncombe County resident during the 202324 flu season. A release from county government says in order to protect the family, no other information will be released.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the first flu-related death in our Buncombe County community," Buncombe County Public Health Director Dr. Ellis Matheson said in Tuesday's press release. "We take the seasonal flu seriously, recognizing its potential for severe illness and even fatality. We strongly encourage the community to take preventive measures against influenza and other circulating respiratory illnesses. Now is the time to get vaccinated, especially before participating in seasonal celebrations with friends and family. Additional precautions include staying up-to-date on vaccinations, practicing good hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home if feeling unwell.
The CDC recommends flu vaccination every year for everyone 6 months and older. In addition to being the best way to prevent infection with the flu, vaccination can also make illness milder for those who do get the flu. Certain groups are at higher risk for serious illness from flu, including children younger than five, pregnant women, people over 65 and those with certain chronic medical conditions such as heart or lung disease.
Anyone who thinks they have the flu should contact their doctor right away to see if they need treatment with a prescription antiviral drug. Early treatment with an antiviral drug can help prevent flu infections from becoming more serious. Individuals who feel ill should call ahead before going to a doctors office, urgent care or other provider to avoid exposing others. COVID-19 and flu symptoms are similar, so consult with a doctor about getting tested for flu and/or COVID-19. Flu symptoms include:
Public Health officials urge the community to get vaccinated if you havent already taken this step. Flu vaccinations are widely available in the community including private medical offices, pharmacies, health departments, and health centers. Layer up your protection by washing your hands often, choosing less crowded spaces and events, and wearing a mask during times of higher respiratory illness circulation in addition to getting vaccinated. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services provides information on seasonal flu levels on this webpage.
Dont let the flu stop you this winter. Check out the flu shot locator page, enter your zip code, and get your flu shot today.
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Human trials for universal flu vaccine may start as COVID, flu cases begin to rise
by LEE STOLL | KOMO Staff
FILE - A patient receives a flu shot. (KOMO News file photo)
WASHINGTON (KOMO)
If you're traveling for the holidays, be aware. Respiratory illness cases are going up in parts of the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 15 states, including California and South Carolina, are seeing high or very high levels of respiratory illnesses.
RSV hospitalizations are elevated among children under four and are increasing in adults over the age of 65.
There is an RSV vaccine the CDC is recommending for adults over the age of 60 and for pregnant women. We could be close to a universal flu vaccine that would protect against all strains of the virus.
"We've now done all our preclinical testing and we are in the manufacturing stage of our vaccines to do a human trial in 2024 and in 2025," said Ted Ross, global director of vaccine development at the Cleveland Clinic.
As of Dec. 5th, the number of people heading to the emergency room for COVID-19 is up 7% week to week. It's up 20% for the flu. Visits for RSV are flat.
The CDC is tracking a rising COVID subvariant called JN.1, which is estimated to be making up more than 20% of current cases nationwide.
There is no evidence JN.1 is more severe than previous variants and tests, vaccines and treatments are still expected to be effective.
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December 07, 2023
48 min listen
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It's that time of year again, everyone rolling up their sleeves to get a flu shot. This episode dives into the history of the struggles pinning down the causative agent of flu and the journey to the vaccine!
Disclosures: Brown reports no relevant financial disclosures.
Wed love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Brown at rheuminationspodcast@healio.com. Follow us on Twitter @HRheuminations @AdamJBrownMD @HealioRheum.
References:
Hicks DJ, et al. Clin Exp Immunol. 2012;doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2012.04592.x.
Rosenau MJ. Experiments Upon Volunteers to Determine the Cause and Mode of Spread of Influenza, Boston, November and December, 1918. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/f/flu/3750flu.0016.573. Published February 1921. Accessed December 6, 2023.
Rosenau MJ, et al. JAMA. 1925;doi:10.1001/jama.1925.02670070040019.
Taubenberger JK, et al. Antivir Ther. 2007;12(4 Pt B):581-91.
Tobin J. The first flu shot. https://heritage.umich.edu/stories/the-first-flu-shot/. Accessed December 6, 2023.
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Protecting Older Adults: Why the flu vaccine is crucial this season
by We Are Austin
Chad Worz talks about why getting a flu vaccine is important for everyone
Did you know complications from the flu become more serious as we age? With so much focus on COVID-19, many people may have forgotten how dangerous the flu can be. Chad Worz, Chief Executive of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists is here to talk about why getting a flu vaccine is important for everyone, but especially important for older adults and vulnerable populations this holiday season.
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @WeAreAustin and find us on Facebook at We Are Austin Lifestyle Show.
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Katelyn Jetelina:
There's actually then a very dramatic effect, particularly around vaccine disparity, it's like you said the funding is gone, which means campaigns education, pop up, clinics, partnerships, incentives, those are all gone as well.
And there's additional layer of barriers to access due to cost or just availability. For example, some local health clinics, the vaccine costs more than they can afford or willing to risk financially. So for example, the gap between Latinax and white residents is more than twice what it was last year in COVID-19 vaccination coverage, same with African American black residents, same with residents of low income.
So unfortunately, we are seeing that the marketplace in our regular health care system, regular public health system, not during an emergency is really not fairly distributed to those who need it the most.
A systematic review and meta-analysis estimates a nearly 50% long-COVID rate months after infection in Africa, with psychiatric conditions the most common manifestations.
Published today in Scientific Reports, the February 2023 literature search and analysis involved 25 observational, English language long-COVID studies with 29,213 infected African patients.
Nearly half (48%) of the studies were from Egypt, the average patient age was 42years (range, 7 to 73 years), 59.3% were females, and the median follow-up was 3 months.
"In low-income countries, the estimates of its [long COVID's] incidence vary greatly due to a significant number of hidden infections (i.e., asymptomatic or undisclosed) and difficulties in accessing testing," the study authors wrote.
The team, led by researchers from the University of Bari in Italy, found a long-COVID rate of 48.6%, with a predominance of psychiatric conditions, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (25.8%).
The most common neurologic symptom was cognitive impairment (15%), and shortness of breath was the most common respiratory symptom (18.3%), followed by cough (10.7%). Other notable symptoms were loss of appetite (12.7%), weight loss (10.4%), fatigue (35.4%), and muscle pain (15.5%). A quarter (25.4%) of patients reported poor quality of life.
The high incidence of fatigue is particularly worrisome because of its debilitating nature. "This is concerning because, in Africa, it has the potential to lead to important impairment in productivity and further loss of economic agency," the researchers wrote.
The study recommends identifying at-risk people and defining treatment strategies and recommendations for African long-COVID patients.
Likewise, the mental illness burden in long-COVID patients poses a challenge on a continent with few mental health resources: "These findings highlight the pressing need for immediate policy implementation and reallocation of resources to address this severely underestimated public health issue."
Risk factors for long COVID included older age and hospitalization during infection.
"The study recommends identifying at-risk people and defining treatment strategies and recommendations for African long-COVID patients," the authors concluded, noting that high-quality studies are urgently needed.
