NORFOLK, Va. Norfolk is hosting COVID-19 and flu clinics in preparation for flu season.
The Norfolk Department of Public Healthis hosting the clinics at its office on Southampton Avenue on November 4 and 18. Both clinics begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. Both vaccines are available to people three years old and up.
The Department of Public Health recommends making an appointment which can be made by calling (757) 683-2735. Limited walk-ins will be accepted.
The vaccinations will be billed to the individual's medical insurance, so bring insurance cards. If uninsured, the COVID-19 vaccine is fully covered by the Bridge Access Program. At the clinics, the flu vaccine fee will be waived for children and adults who are uninsured.
Those with children under three can make an appointment during business hours.
Getting vaccinated is a simple and effective way to prevent yourself and your loved ones from serious illness due to these viruses, said Dr. Susan Girois, MD, MPH, FACP, Health Director of Norfolk Department of Public Health.
The Norfolk Department of Health urges all residents to update their COVID-19 vaccination and receive their annual flu vaccination if they havent already done so.
Please select the date/link below to register for the Flu Clinic of your choice
Nov. 2nd Clinic 10:00-12:00 55 Hudson Rd. Musketahquid Common Rm.
Nov. 3rd Clinic 10:00-12:00 275 Old Lancaster Rd. Health Office
Nov. 7, 14, & 21 Tuesday Clinics 10:00-12:00 275 Old Lancaster Rd Health Office
Please arrive at your selected time, bring your ID and Insurance Card(s) and wear a short sleeved shirt. High Dose Vaccine is currently available for Seniors ages 65+.
Please contact the Health Department with any questions or concerns 978-440-5479 or Health@sudbury.ma.us
SALISBURY TWP., Pa. This flu season should be a little quieter than last year's, according to a Lehigh Valley doctor.
No new strains or increases in activity are expected, but the physician said people still should get flu shots.
I think it's going to be a typical flu season, said Dr. Alex Benjamin, chief infection control and prevention Officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network.
We're not seeing things in the southern hemisphere like a new strain or any sort of increased activity, despite people getting flu shots. So I think the efficacy is there again, as it has been year after year for the flu vaccine.
Dr. Alex Benjamin, chief Infection Control and Prevention officer, LVHN
Benjamin said this year cases do not seem as severe as they were at this time in 2022 following repercussions from the coronavirus pandemic.
After last year, I think now, in a sense, we almost feel better because I think that sort of natural immunity has been restored to our area. And so I don't think we're gonna see as many cases as quickly as we did last year.
LVHN will hold two free drive-through flu vaccine clinics this weekend.
On Nov. 4, Saturday, people can drive through and get their shot at Dorney Park in South Whitehall Township, and on Sunday, Nov. 5 they can do that at LVHNs Hecktown Oaks location in Lower Nazareth Township.
Benjamin said now is the time to get the shot as the season ramps up.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website, Pennsylvania has minimal flu activity, but the state Health Department page shows a very mixed picture when it comes to cases.
It shows a decent amount of activity in the southwest part of the state, south of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Alex Benjamin, chief Infection Control and Prevention officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network
In the Lehigh Valley, we're sort of in the middle, meaning we're not the undetectable cases of flu," Benjamin said. "We are seeing those [cases] and we're sort of in the middle of somewhere between eight and 15 cases per 100,000.
He said people should try to space out their flu vaccine and COVID-19 shots if possible.
He said a study published by the FDA looked at patients who got the combination in 2022 and saw a higher risk of stroke among people 65 and older who got both shots at the same time.
We have to remember a couple different things about this year," he said.
"Last year was that bivalent shot. This year, we have a different updated shot that's a single strain coverage, so maybe that has something to do with it.
"Getting influenza, getting COVID infections, both of those also increase your risk of stroke.
Benjamin said people still should get vaccinated against both diseases, just spaced out if possible. In some cases, if a patient will not receive follow up care, a doctor may vaccinate for both in one day.
Those heading to the LVHN flu clinics this weekend can just show up, but they also can go online and fill out paperwork ahead of time to make those process go faster.
Free shots will be provided to everyone older than six months old, and those over the age of 65 can get the high-dose influenza shot.
LVHN also will collect canned goods for those in need during the clinics if people would like to make a donation.
The Town of Reading Health Department will hold a community flu clinic Thursday, Nov. 2. (Shutterstock)
READING, MA The Town of Reading Health Department will hold a community flu clinic Thursday, Nov. 2, from 2 to 4:45 p.m. at the Reading Public Library at 64 Middlesex Ave.
Vaccines will be available for all those 3 years and older.
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More information and a registration link is available here.
The clinic will have Fluzone and Fluzone 65 vaccines available.
The Massachusetts Department of Public recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older with any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine (IIV, RIV4, or LAIV4) with no preference expressed for any one vaccine over another.
For people 65 years and older, the department noted that three flu vaccines are preferentially recommended: Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine, Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine, and Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine.
More information is available via the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Flu activity is low so far across the U.S. for the 2023-24 season. But its picking up in some parts of the country. And that low level is good news, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, because theres still time to get a flu shot or a nasal spray vaccine before influenza circulates more broadly.
The CDC recommends vaccination for anyone 6 months or older.
While flu severity is unpredictable and hinges on a lot of factors, Gavi.org reports reason to be optimistic that this years flu season will not be quite as bad particularly if people take up the offer of seasonal flu vaccines.
Gavi, an international vaccine alliance, predicts this year will be nowhere near as harsh as last year, when reduced exposure to influenza viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the resurgence of other respiratory infections such as respiratory syncytial virus placed huge pressure on hospital beds in many countries.
Dr. Tom Peacock, an influenza researcher at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, told Gavi writer Linda Geddes that the season looks (to be) the most typical one since pre-pandemic.
As The Wall Street Journal explains, The flu season in the Southern Hemisphere, where the cold-weather illness period wraps up as we head into ours, often serves as a harbinger of whats to come for us. There, cases picked up a little earlier than usual in some countries but didnt result in an especially large number of hospitalizations and deaths, say public health experts and doctors.
The article notes, as well, that this years flu vaccine composition seems to match predominant strains of flu circulating so far.
The CDC surveillance page notes just under 1,500 people across the U.S. have been admitted to hospitals this week for influenza, a viral respiratory illness that can be mild or severe. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches and body aches, fatigue and in some cases, gastrointestinal symptoms.
Complications can include ear and sinus infections, bacterial pneumonia and worsening of existing chronic medical conditions. In severe cases, flu can trigger heart, muscle or brain inflammation and organ failure. Those most at risk of serious symptoms are those who are younger than 5 or 65 and older, pregnant women and people with chronic conditions or who are immune-compromised.
Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that each year between 3,000 and 49,000 people die of complications, most of them 65 and older. The CDC says on average 36,000 people die each year and many, many more are hospitalized.
Colorado, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are currently showing moderate flu activity, while a number of states are beginning to report increasing but low levels of flu, according to the tracking map.
Because flu vaccines dont always entirely prevent influenza infection, the CDC is trying to rebrand and rightsize expectations for the seasonal flu vaccine with its Wild to Mild ad campaign, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
The campaign pictures wild animals and mild house pets, showing the impact of the vaccine on influenza as in, it could be wild, but with the shot, it could be more mild. Part of its emphasis, the CDC says, is reducing how serious flu symptoms are, not just preventing infections.
CDC has expanded its vaccine effectiveness work to include looking at how well flu vaccine works at preventing serious outcomes, like emergency department visits and hospitalizations, the agency says. This work has contributed to a strong and growing body of evidence that flu vaccination reduces the risk of serious outcomes in people who get vaccinated but still get sick.
CureVac N.V., the mRNA-focused biopharmaceutical company, in partnership with GSK, has reached significant milestones in their clinical vaccine development programs for COVID-19 and seasonal flu. The team has successfully completed Phase 2 enrollment for their COVID-19 vaccine trial and launched Phase 2 of their seasonal flu program.
Dr. Myriam Mendila, Chief Development Officer of CureVac, confirmed the advancement of these programs following successful Phase 1 and 2 studies. The COVID-19 program's Phase 2 study enrolled 427 participants to assess the safety and immunogenicity of two modified mRNA COVID-19 vaccines: CV0601 and CV0701.
CV0601 encodes the spike protein of the omicron BA.4-5 variant, while CV0701 encodes the spike proteins of both the omicron BA.4-5 variant and the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. These vaccines are being compared with an authorized bivalent COVID-19 comparator vaccine. Interim data from this study is due in early 2024.
In the joint seasonal flu program with GSK, CureVac has begun Phase 2 after selecting a promising multivalent candidate based on positive Phase 1 interim data announced on September 12, 2023. This candidate encodes antigens that align with all World Health Organization-recommended flu strains. The vaccine will be tested across different age groups and dosage levels against licensed seasonal flu comparator vaccines, with study results also anticipated in 2024.
CureVac's advancements come from over two decades of expertise in mRNA technology, developing, optimizing, and manufacturing this versatile biological molecule for medical applications. The company partnered with GSK in July 2020 to develop new prophylactic vaccines for infectious diseases using CureVacs second-generation mRNA technology. This collaboration later expanded to include the development of second-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidates and modified mRNA vaccine technologies.
CureVac's financial health and performance indicators, as provided by InvestingPro, offer a deeper understanding of the company's current standing. Despite the potential promise of its clinical vaccine development programs, CureVac holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, indicating a strong financial position (InvestingPro Tip 0). However, it is quickly burning through cash, which may be a concern for investors (InvestingPro Tip 2). The stock price has also fallen significantly over the last three months (InvestingPro Tip 11), reflecting the company's volatile stock price movements (InvestingPro Tip 6).
InvestingPro data shows that CureVac's Market Cap stands at 1220M USD, and the company has a negative P/E Ratio of -3.48. The company's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q2 2023 was 41.04M USD but has been declining at a rate of -67.32%. The company's gross profit for the same period was negative, standing at -95.96M USD, indicating weak gross profit margins (InvestingPro Tip 5).
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There are additional InvestingPro Tips available for those interested in a more detailed analysis of CureVac's financial performance and potential investment opportunities. These tips, along with the real-time data provided, can help investors make informed decisions about their investments in the biopharmaceutical sector.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
10 minutes ago
Liz from Marlborough lives in a state of anxiety because of frequent shingles attacks
People are being invited to take part in a new research study looking at providing a shingles vaccine combined with the Covid-19 or flu jab.
Researchers at the University of Bristol are seeing if giving protection against shingles at the same time as the other vaccines can boost immunity.
One in three people will get shingles in their lifetime. It occurs when an old chickenpox infection is reactivated and causes a painful rash.
The trial is open to people over 50.
Liz, from Marlborough, said her life has been blighted by shingles since her first attack six years ago.
The retired mother-of-three, who has had five separate infections, said: "It actually attacked the sciatic nerve. I already have a spine problem.
"I went back to see my back specialist. He said there's nothing we can do until you are through the shingles and it was about six months before I was really clear of it."
She added: "I am nervous and a worrier by nature. But shingles has made it 100 times worse.
"It's anxiety, about everything, about meeting new people, going to new places, travelling, even something as simple as going for a coffee morning."
With the body's immune system keeping it in check, the virus can remain inactive in the nervous system for decades and flare up later in life.
Researchers at the University of Bristol are now testing the safety and immune responses of giving the shingles vaccine at the same time as the flu or Covid vaccine and are welcoming volunteers to take part in the study, sponsored by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW).
The 'ZosterFluCOV' study is coordinated by the Bristol Trials Centre and similar trials are taking place across the UK, including at North Bristol NHS Trust.
Dr Rajeka Lazarus is chief investigator for the trial
Dr Rajeka Lazarus, consultant in infectious diseases and microbiology at UHBW is chief investigator for the trial.
She said: "The number of vaccines available to prevent infection in older adults has increased over the past ten years and is likely to increase further.
"We hope this study will provide evidence to improve how we offer vaccines to older adults."
In the UK, a shingles vaccine is offered to people when they reach 65-years-old with flu and Covid jabs also offered to people in this age group.
If the shingles vaccine could be offered during the same appointment, it would save having to make several trips to the GP.
The vaccine stops most people getting shingles but those that still get it will have a milder and shorter illness. People who have suffered with shingles in the past can still take the vaccine as it will boost immunity.
Meanwhile, another trial in the West Country is trying to find out if patients newly-diagnosed with shingles can be helped with anti-depressants.
Researchers from the University of Bristol want to see amitriptyline can prevent post-herpetic neuralgia, a condition which causes intermittent or continuous nerve pain in an area of skin previously affected by shingles.
Besides Pfizers fast-declining COVID-19 sales, vaccine rival GSK is giving the New York drugmaker another reason to worry.
In the first round of their RSV vaccine showdown, GSKs Arexvy pulled down709 million pounds ($860 million) in the third quarter, more than doubling the $375 millionhaul from Pfizers Abrysvo during the same period.
In what GSK CEO Emma Walmsley called an outstanding U.S. launch, Arexvy sales came in nearly 100% above Wall Street analysts expectations.
The key point here for GSK is this pivot to the prevention agenda, which is just better for everybodyburdened healthcare systems, budgets, patients [and general practitioners], GSK CEO Emma Walmsley said Wednesday during a press call.
After approvals earlier this year, both vaccines are being launched into their first RSV season. The FDA cleared the two shots to prevent RSV in individuals 60 years of age and older in May, with GSK 28 days ahead of Pfizer.
At retail sites, which comprisethe majority of the older-adultRSV market, Arexvy is getting two-thirds of the share in the U.S., Walmsley said.
For Arexvys launch, GSK chose to highlight the vaccines 94.6% efficacy in older adults with some underlying medical conditions, a message that seems to resonate well with strong [healthcare provider] recognition, GSKs chief commercial officer Luke Miels said on an investor call.
These people are the most vulnerable to RSV and represent 95% of RSV infection-related hospitalizations, Walmsley noted. In a more general older-adult population, Arexvy reduced the risk of developing RSV-related respiratory diseases by 82.6% in a clinical trial.
GSK expects Arexvy will slow down somewhat in the fourth quarter, given the seasonality of RSV and the preventative nature of the vaccine. Still, Arexvy is set to reach blockbuster status in its first year of launch, GSK figures.
The company projects full-year sales will land above 900 million pounds ($1.1 billion) but below 1 billion pounds ($1.22 billion).
As Walmsley repeatedly stressed during the press briefing and a separate call with investors, its the first season for any RSV vaccine, and much remains unknown.
For now, GSK is modeling an uptake pattern for Arexvy thats similar to a flu shot, Miels said. More than 90% the immunizations for older adults are going through the retail setting, rather than in doctors offices. And GSK doesnt expect that to materially change, he said.
Well just see what peoples enthusiasm is over the next couple of weeks, Miels said. Clearly, awareness is very high, [and] intention to recommend is very high.
But to GSK, the uncertainty only lies in the short-term prediction for Arexvy. In the long term, GSK is very certain that Arexvywill reach more than 3 billion pounds in peak sales, Miles said.
According to a chart Miels presented during the investor call, Arexvy reached about 1.4 million people in the U.S. during the third quarter, while Pfizers Abrysvo reached fewerthan 800,000. The total population of older adults at risk for RSV is 83 million people in the U.S., Walmsley pointed out.
Meanwhile, Pfizer has one notable advantage over GSK in their RSV battle. Besides the older-adultlabel, Abrysvo in August won FDA approval as a maternal vaccine to prevent RSV in infants. But the Pfizer shot also needs to compete with Sanofi and AstraZenecas antibody Beyfortus, which is given directly to infants.
In contrast to Arexvys market-beating performance, GSKs flagship product, shingles vaccine Shingrix, missed analysts consensus by 5% despite a 15% increase at constant currencies over the same period last year.
GSK attributed Shingrixs underperformance to a decline in the U.S. thanks to a challenging comparator period in which there was higher non-retail purchasing.
Miels pointed to a recentcommercialization collaboration GSKsigned in China with local vaccine giant Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products as a future growth driver for Shingrix. The deal materially expands the number of Chinese adults who can benefit from Shingrixand willaccelerate our expectations for Shingrix sales to reach more than 4 billion pounds by 2026, he said.
Thanks in part to Arexvys outstanding showing, GSK raised its full-year revenue guidance. The drugmaker now expects 2023 sales to grow between 12% and 13%, versus 8% to 10% previously. In the vaccines department specifically, GSK expects sales to jumparound 20% for 2023.
GSKs total sales came in at 22.3 billion pounds in the first nine months of the year, including 8.1 billion from the third quarter.
There are shortages of an RSV vaccine for infants due to supply issues.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a notice last week citing "limited availability" of the long-acting monoclonal antibody immunization Beyfortus (nirsevimab).
The product is recommended by the CDC for preventing disease from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children up to 24 months of age.
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Beyfortus maker Sanofi said in a statement to Fox News Digital that "unprecedented demand" has been higher than anticipated, leading to limited supply.
The shortage primarily affects 100mg-dose prefilled syringes used for infants weighing less than 11 pounds.
The logo of Sanofi is seen at the French drugmaker's vaccine unit Sanofi Pasteur plant in Marcy-l'Etoile, near Lyon, France, on Sept. 30, 2023. Sanofi makes the monoclonal antibody immunization Beyfortus (nirsevimab). (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo)
"For the first time in history, health care providers are able to help protect an extraordinary number of infants against RSV disease," a Sanofi spokesperson said.
"Despite an aggressive supply plan built to outperform past pediatric immunization launches, demand for this product, especially for the 100-mg doses used primarily for babies born before the RSV season, has been higher than anticipated," the spokesperson also said.
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Sanofi is working in "close collaboration" with the CDC and its partner, AstraZeneca, to ensure "equitable distribution" of available doses through the Vaccines for Children Program (VFC), the spokesperson added.
This illustration provided by AstraZeneca depicts packaging for the medication Beyfortus. (AstraZeneca/AP)
As supply is short, the CDC recommended prioritizing available 100-mg injections for those who are at the highest risk of severe infection, including infants who are younger than 6 months or who have underlying conditions.
Health care providers should avoid using two 50-mg doses for infants weighing more than 11 pounds to preserve that supply for the babies who weigh less, the agency stated.
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The CDC also encouraged suspending the use of nirsevimab in children aged 8 months to 19 months who are eligible to receive the alternative immunization Synagis (palivizumab), which is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
The antibodies in injections like nirsevimab last five months, according to a pediatrician. (iStock)
Prenatal care physicians should also inform pregnant patients about the supply concerns and discuss options for them to receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy, the CDC noted.
Families should be "aware of everyday preventive measures to limit the spread of RSV and other respiratory illnesses" which includes washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when symptoms occur, the agency said.
In very young infants, the symptoms of RSV may be lethargy, trouble breathing and irritability, per the CDC.
Other signs include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, decreased appetite, fever and wheezing.
RSV is common in the fall and winter, Dr. Denise Scott, a JustAnswer expert pediatrician based in Oklahoma, told Fox News Digital.
"As a pediatrician, I have always dreaded RSV season, knowing how much illness it creates in babies and how many hospitalizations."
For patients who are under 6 months old or who have an underlying heart or lung condition, it can potentially be "very serious, even fatal," she said.
"Because it is a viral infection, there is no specific treatment or cure, only supportive therapy," the doctor said.
"The body does not develop immunity to it; however, subsequent infections are usually not as severe as a first-time infection."
Injections are recommended for infants under 8 months or infants from 8 to 19 months with an underlying condition that puts them at risk for more severe complications, a pediatrician said. (iStock)
RSV infection during infancy can increase the child's risk for the development of asthma, the pediatrician added.
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One RSV injection will suffice for the whole season and can reduce hospitalizations by 80%, according to the CDC.
"As a pediatrician, I have always dreaded RSV season, knowing how much illness it creates in babies and how many hospitalizations," Scott said.
One RSV injection will suffice for the whole season and can reduce hospitalizations by 80%, according to the CDC. (iStock)
"It is exciting to see that this disease, like many others with preventive measures, may soon be diminished in frequency and severity."
For adults looking to protect themselves against RSV, there are multiple vaccine options available.
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Walgreens confirmed to Fox News Digital in an email that both Pfizer and GSK vaccines for RSV are available, with "plenty of supply to meet demand."
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
First flu deaths of 2023-24 season reported in North Carolina, health officials urge vaccination
FILE - The flu vaccine. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)
WLOS
Two adults in the western part of North Carolina died due to complications of influenza in October, marking the first flu deaths of the 2023-24 flu season, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS] announced Wednesday.
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Officials say one person had tested positive for both influenza and COVID-19. To protect the privacy of both families, additional information will not be released.
We know both flu and COVID-19 can lead to severe complications and even death in some cases, said State Epidemiologist Zack Moore, M.D., MPH. As flu season ramps up and COVID-19 is still circulating, it is very important for people to get their annual vaccines, practice good hand hygiene and stay home when sick.
Influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are all circulating now and are expected to increase over the coming months.
Officials say vaccinations are the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death from these infections. Vaccinations are especially important for those at higher risk of severe viral respiratory disease, including people 65 years and older, children younger than 5, pregnant women, those with a weakened immune system and those with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all people aged 6 months and older receive a fall COVID-19 vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine. RSV vaccinations are also available to protect older adults and for pregnant women during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy to protect infants. Parents should talk with their health care provider about other options to protect infants from severe RSV disease.
Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations are available at pharmacies, private medical offices, some federally qualified health care centers and local health departments. To find flu or COVID-19 vaccines near you, click HERE.
In addition to vaccines, the following precautions should be taken to protect against the spread of respiratory viruses:
Detailed information about actions you can take to protect yourself and others can be found HERE.
You cannot tell the difference between flu and COVID-19 by the symptoms alone. Early testing and treatment with an antiviral drug can help prevent flu and COVID-19 infections from becoming more serious. Treatment is especially important for those who are at high risk of serious complications based on their age or medical conditions.
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