Finally, the functionalized molecules were tested against live SARS-CoV-2 in a veterinary college laboratory by Weger-Lucarelli and his team.
Initial virtual screening of the existing database identified a parent compound that was expected to inhibit the protease of SARS-CoV-2, Weger-Lucarelli said. Then the data-driven framework altered the structure of that molecule to enhance that activity. We compared those side by side to show that this new compound that was expected to be more potent against SARS-CoV-2 than the parent compound was, in fact, more potent against SARS-CoV-2.
The process to develop and test a functionalized molecule against COVID-19 has many potential applications even beyond mitigation of COVID-19. Studies are ongoing among the team to employ the same type of research to find functionalized molecules that may be able to treat hepatitis E, dengue fever and chikungunya, the latter two being mosquito-borne illnesses.
Another direction were going in is that were targeting proteases and enzymes from other viruses and trying to design other new molecules, Lowell said.
The algorithm process also has potential in non-biological uses, Deshmukh said. The approach is very versatile and is being applied to functionalize and design other materials such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs), glycomaterials, polymers, etc., the paper states.
The assembled interdisciplinary team is planning to continue its collaborations.
None of us could do this work without the other people in this collaboration, Weger-Lucarelli said.
This is a great example of the synergy between going from computational prediction to chemical synthesis to testing in viruses, Brown said, and how we at Virginia Tech are really emphasizing that interplay between these three areas and taking that to the next level to develop strong collaborative teams.
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CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines increase the risk of heart attacks
DETAILS
Inadequate support: Apart from a heavily flawed conference abstract and an unverifiable claim from a whistleblower, no data or evidence was provided by Malhotra to support the suggestion that COVID-19 vaccines increase heart attack risk. Cherry-picking: Several studies have already shown that COVID-19 vaccination isnt associated with a greater risk of heart attack. No mention of these studies were made in the video.
KEY TAKE AWAY
Like all medical interventions, COVID-19 vaccines can produce side effects. Most of these side effects are mild and short-lived. More serious risks, such as a rare blood clotting disorder and a type of heart inflammation have also been associated with certain COVID-19 vaccines, but are rare. The risk of heart problems and blood clotting, just to name a few, is greater with COVID-19 than with the vaccines. By reducing the risk of infection and severe disease in people, the vaccines benefit outweighs their risk.
Prior to the pandemic, Malhotra was known for promoting controversial claims about the benefits of the Pioppi diet. He also claimed that statinsdrugs used to reduce cholesterol levelsprovide no benefit to patients with high cholesterol.
In September 2022, Malhotra published an article in the Journal of Insulin Resistancea journal of which he is an editorsuggesting that COVID-19 vaccines are more harmful than helpful and that they increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Malhotras article was panned by other scientists, who pointed out that its argument relied on cherry-picked studies with methodological flaws, anecdotal data and anonymous sources, but excluded data contradicting the articles argument. Health Feedback wrote about the article in an earlier review.
In January 2023, during an interview with the BBC, Malhotra suggested that excess deaths linked to heart disease were linked to COVID-19 vaccines. This conduct was criticized by experts, and the BBC later aired an interview with physician and scientist Peter Openshaw, who pointed out that the risks of COVID-19 were greater than that posed by the vaccines.
Malhotras interview with Rogan took place in April 2023, during which Malhotra proceeded to air the same views as he had done before on COVID-19 vaccines. In the run-up to his whistleblower claim, Malhotra cited a conference abstract by cardiothoracic surgeon Steven Gundryhimself a controversial figureand news that Scotland had seen a 25% increase in heart attacks in summer 2021.
However, Gundrys abstract had actually received an Expression of Concern from the journal on 24 November 2021, a few months before Malhotras appearance on Rogans show.
The notice stated that there is no data in the abstract regarding myocardial T-cell infiltration, there are no statistical analyses for significance provided, and the author is not clear that only anecdotal data was used. In other words, no evidence was presented for the claims made in the abstract. The abstract was later corrected, removing its initial claim of dramatically increase[d] inflammation and clarifying that no statistical comparisons were performed.
Because the interview doesnt provide any information about the whistleblower, nor does it provide a publicly available source for the alleged data showing increased inflammation of the arteries of the heart, we are unable to verify this claim. We reached out to Malhotra for comment and will update this review with new information if available.
But we can look at whether the broader claim that COVID-19 vaccines raise heart attack risk is supported by evidence so far.
Published studies dont support this claim. A study performed in Israel and published in the New England Journal of Medicine didnt find a higher risk of heart attack in vaccinated people relative to unvaccinated people[1].
Figure 1. The relative risk of various adverse events after vaccination or SARS-CoV-2 infection. Adapted from the original figure by Barda et al. Note that the effects of vaccination and of SARS-CoV-2 infection were estimated with different cohorts: vaccinated people were compared with unvaccinated people, while those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were compared with uninfected people. Thus, the risks from vaccination and that of infection cannot be directly compared.
Another study performed in the U.S. found no association between COVID-19 mRNA vaccination and heart attack[2].
Studies performed in France also didnt find a higher risk of heart attack in those above 75 years old[3] and in younger cohorts[4].
A study in Hong Kong didnt find a greater risk of heart attack in people with heart disease whod been vaccinated against COVID-19[5].
Moreover, COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a lower risk of developing a heart attack after SARS-CoV-2 infection, as one study in the U.S.[6] and another in South Korea reported[7]. In contrast, getting COVID-19 itself is a risk factor for developing cardiovascular problems, as studies have already reported[1,8].
The American Heart Association states that People with cardiovascular risk factors, heart disease, and heart attack and stroke survivors should get vaccinated because they are at much greater risk from the virus than they are from the vaccine.
In brief, numerous published studies havent found that COVID-19 vaccines increase the risk of a heart attack and their findings overturn Malhotras suggestion that theres reason to believe otherwise.
British comedian Russell Brand made a similar claim that COVID-19 vaccines caused a rise in heart attacks in young people. Health Feedback debunked the claim here.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is urging residents to get the mpox vaccine after two cases were reported in the past six weeks.
Mpox, also known as Monkeypox, is spread through skin-to-skin contact. Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion.
Those symptoms are followed by a rash that may be located on the hands, feet, chest, face, mouth or near genitals.
NCDHHS said two cases were reported in the past six weeks the first since April 2023. The mpox virus was found in one out of 12 wastewater sites that are being monitored.
If you are at higher risk for mpox and havent yet gotten the vaccine, now is a good time to do so,said Dr. Zack Moore, State Epidemiologist. Numbers of cases have been low recently thanks to vaccinations and engagement of partners in the LGBTQ+ community, but this is a reminder that mpox is still with us.
NCDHHS recommends five steps to prevent mpox:
If you think you have mpox or have had close personal contact with someone who has mpox, visit a health care provider or contact yourlocal health department.
Information about mpox cases and vaccinations in North Carolina is updated monthly and displayed here.
Disclaimer: Early release articles are not considered as final versions. Any changes will be reflected in the online version in the month the article is officially released.
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (F.S. Minhaj, M. Townsend, N. Baird, T. Navarra, L. Priyamvada, N. Wynn, W.C. Carson; S. Odafe, S.A.J. Guagliardo, E. Sims; A.K. Rao, P.S. Satheshkumar, P.J. Weidle, C.L. Hutson); HealthTrackRx, Denton, Texas, USA (V. Singh, P. Upadhyay, J. Reddy, B. Alexander); San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, California, USA (S.E. Cohen, H. Scott); University of California San Francisco and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco (J. Szumowski); Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco (C.B. Hare)
Since May 2022, monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections have been detected in 104 countries without endemic disease. Most cases have been among gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (MSM). Because lesions commonly occur on the genitals, mpox was most frequently diagnosed in clinics conducting sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening (1). The diagnosis can be challenging because mpox rash has been confused with STIs (e.g., herpes simplex virus infection and syphilis), hand-foot-and-mouth disease, varicella zoster virus infection, and even arthropod bites (24). In addition to cases being undiagnosed because of diminished clinical suspicion, some cases may have been undiagnosed if patients did not seek care (i.e., because the symptoms were mild and self-limiting or because of poor access to a medical provider). As the global outbreak continued, public health authorities continued to increase awareness of mpox. However, clinicians and public health authorities were concerned that if a high number of cases were missed, the outbreak would be difficult to control. To determine the number of undiagnosed MPXV infections in the United States, we conducted 2 studies during JuneSeptember 2022: a prospective serologic surveillance study among MSM who sought sexual health services in San Francisco, California, USA, and a retrospective study of molecular testing of specimens tested for other infectious diseases linked to specific codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), among all populations. Each study used specimens collected during the peak of the outbreak. Our studies were reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and were conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy (e.g., 45 C.F.R. part 46.102(l)(2), 21 C.F.R. part 56; 42 U.S.C. 241(d); 5 U.S.C. 552a; 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
For the primary recruitment sites for this serologic survey, we selected 3 prominent sexual health clinics (clinics A, B, C) in San Francisco that regularly treat MSM and 1 research clinic in San Francisco (clinic D). Those 4 private and publicly funded clinics encompass an estimated 20,000 MSM patients of varying socioeconomic status, insured rates (2%85% private, 14%92% public, 040% uninsured), and races and ethnicities within the San Francisco Bay area. Patients entering the 3 sexual health clinics during June 28August 26, 2022, were given an informational flier in English or Spanish containing a QR code that directed interested patients to a survey to self-screen for inclusion. The flier also stated that participation was voluntary and the decision to enroll would not in any way affect their medical care. Study inclusion was limited to patients who self-reported that they did not have symptoms of mpox (e.g., rash, fever, lymphadenopathy), had never received an mpox diagnosis, were 1850 years of age (the upper age limit was set to exclude childhood smallpox vaccination in the United States), and did not have a history of smallpox or mpox vaccination. Because most cases detected at that point in the outbreak were in MSM, and to ensure sufficient participation among this population at high risk for mpox, we also excluded cisgender women and persons who did not identify as ever having had male-to-male sexual contact. Participants at clinic D were recruited by a query into the electronic medical record system from HIV and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis registries; a subset of MSM patients 1850 years of age were sent an invitation to participate. At clinic arrival, those participants were given the same survey to self-screen. All participants who completed the self-screening questionnaire and were eligible for study inclusion, then completed a brief 7-question electronic survey that asked about factors thought to be associated with risk for mpox during the initial stage of the outbreak that could affect public health action (e.g., travel and exposure history within the past 90 days) (Appendix 1) (3). We collected 5 mL of blood from each participant who completed the questionnaire. Peak IgM is detected 23 weeks and IgG 35 weeks after exposure to an orthopoxvirus (including primary vaccination with ACAM2000 [smallpox vaccine] or JYNNEOS [monkeypox vaccine; https://jynneos.com]), and convalescence has been documented at 714 weeks after exposure. Orthopoxvirus IgM is reliably detected 456 days and IgG >8 days after rash onset (5). Because IgG persists for several years after orthopoxvirus exposure (6), we chose IgG as the initial screening tool to detect any past orthopoxvirus exposure. To detect recent exposure, we tested positive IgG specimens for IgM. We separated serum by centrifugation, aliquoted the samples, and sent them to CDC for ELISA analysis of orthopoxvirus IgG and, if positive, IgM.
During the multinational outbreak that began in 2022, mpox was diagnosed by nonvariola orthopoxvirus- and MPXV-specific real-time PCR tests of lesion swab samples (7,8). Before an mpox-specific diagnosis code (B.04) was established, clinical diagnoses and testing were documented with ICD-10-CM codes representing broad symptoms of infection, which were used as a surveillance tool for early identification of potentially undiagnosed infections similar to other diseases (9,10). To evaluate the presence of MPXV within specimens received for other testing, CDC partnered with HealthTrackRx, a private laboratory that receives specimens from a variety of clinics across the United States for infectious disease testing. During June 1September 2, 2022, CDC deidentified and tested lesion swab specimens associated with ICD-10-CM codes for genital lesions, herpes simplex virus infection, inflammation of the genital region, skin rash, and others that may overlap with symptoms of mpox (Appendix 2) for presence of MPXV DNA by using a clade IIspecific PCR (8). After June 27, 2022, HealthTrackRx validated its own mpox clade IIspecific assay (8) and continued to test specimens for MPXV that fit the ICD-10-CM codes (Appendix 2). No specimens were excluded; only basic demographic and geographic data and pertinent ICD-10-CM codes that may be associated with mpox were available from the initial test request from the submitting clinician. No information about sexual history was included.
During the study period, 8,670 patients were seen at clinics A, B, and C, of which 3,832 (44.2%) were MSM, 1850 years of age, and may have been eligible for participation. An estimated 6,000 persons from clinic D were eligible for study participation, and 2,400 (40%) were sent an invitation to participate. A total of 398 patients started the survey. Of 358 (87.4%) participants who completed the survey, 133 were excluded for not self-identifying as having male-to-male sexual contact (n = 67), reporting previous receipt of smallpox or mpox vaccination (n = 41), being >50 years of age (n = 18), or reporting a past diagnosis of mpox (n = 7). We collected serum samples from the final sample size of 225 participants. Participant median age was 34 (interquartile range [IQR] 2942) years. Most (52.9%) eligible participants were non-Hispanic White, and most (87.1%) reported sexual orientation as gay (Tables 1, 2). Twenty-six (11.6%) participants reported known contact with someone with mpox. Recent travel (previous 3 months) was reported by 77 (34.2%); among the 67 who reported a location, 38 (56.7%) had traveled in the United States, 17 (25.4%) to Europe, and 13 (19.4%) to other countries within the Americas. A total of 130 (57.8%) participants had attended a large private or public event (e.g., festivals, parades, weddings, clubs, sex parties). Most (203, 91.2%) participants had >1 sexual contact in the previous month, among which 68 (30.2%) had >5 partners. A total of 65 (28.9%) participants had an immunocompromising condition, most commonly HIV (89.2%; n = 58). Of those who reported HIV, 8 (13.8%) reported a CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 and 9 (15.5%) reported a viral load >200 copies/mL. Among the 47 (20.9%) who reported being ill in the previous 3 months, the most common signs/symptoms were cough, rhinorrhea, sore throat, fever, and chills (participants could report >1 sign/symptom).
Of 225 serum samples tested for orthopoxvirus IgG, 18 (8.0%) were positive and 3 (1.3%) were positive for orthopoxvirus IgM. Those 3 participants were 2049 years of age. Two patients denied prior smallpox or mpox vaccination; vaccination status for the third patient was unknown. All 3 participants had traveled in the previous 3 months (2 internationally and 1 domestically), 1 reported attending a large event, and 1 reported having had contact with someone with mpox. All 3 participants reported having had 320 sex partners within the previous month. Two participants reported signs/symptoms consistent with mpox in the previous 3 months, including rash, diaphoresis, and lymphadenopathy. One participant had well-controlled HIV (CD4 count >200 cells/L).
Figure 1
Figure 1. Total numbers and percentages of positive results for specimens tested by monkeypox virusspecific PCR under different code categories from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification, United States,...
Figure 2
Figure 2. Weekly positive detection of monkeypox virus by PCR testing and US Electronic Case Reporting (https://www.cdc.gov/ecr/index.html), July 24September 2, 2022. Results are from public health and select commercial laboratories...
During the study period, MPXV testing was performed for 1,196 patients (median age 30 [IQR 1946] years); 656 (54.8%) were men. The most common specimen collection sites were arm (24.8%; n = 297), anogenital (18.6%; n = 222), leg (10.1%; n = 121), and unspecified (14.2%; n = 170). The ICD-10-CM codes accompanying specimens were broadly categorized as disorder of the genitals, herpes-related lesions, pruritus, cellulitis, skin conditions, vaginitis, high-risk sexual behavior, mpox, miscellaneous, and not defined. A total of 67 (5.6%) specimens tested positive for MPXV DNA (Figure 1). The dates that the positive specimens had been obtained corresponded to the increase in mpox epidemic curve in the United States (Figure 2). Most MPXV-positive specimens were associated with skin conditions, including ICD-10-CM codes R21 (rash and other nonspecific skin eruption), L98.9 (disorder of skin and subcutaneous tissue, unspecified), L08.89 (other specified local infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue), and disorders of the genital regions including N48.5 (ulcer of the penis) (Table 3). Among those categories, all specimens with ICD-10-CM codes corresponding to signs/symptoms of pruritis, cellulitis, and vaginitis tested negative for MPXV; no positive specimens were from women. Among the 67 MPXV-positive specimens, 5 (7.3%) ICD-10-CM codes were classified under sexual behavior that places someone at increased STI/HIV risk and 4 (5.8%) under herpes-related lesions. Of the 67 positive specimens, 15 (20.3%) were among 74 specimens that were originally submitted for testing of other infectious organisms but after negative results had been submitted for MPXV testing at provider request.
Most specimens received were from Michigan (12.8%), Georgia (12.0%), Colorado (10.4%), and Florida (9.9%); however, the highest proportion of specimens that tested positive for mpox were from Georgia (24.5%, 35 positive), followed by Missouri (25.0%, 5 positive) and Texas (12.9%, 11 positive) (Table 4). Specimens were also tested on the STI and wound infection PCR panels at HealthTrackRx. Among the specimens testing positive for mpox, only 1 tested positive for other etiologies consistent with contamination (Finegoldia magna, Cutibacterium acnes, and Peptostreptococcus spp).
A total of 21,798 mpox cases were reported in the United States during the peak of the outbreak, JuneSeptember 2022, accounting for 72.0% of the total US cases reported as of March 2023. Despite concerns that some cases could be undetected (particularly in the MSM community), potentially preventing outbreak control, the serologic survey identified only 1.3% of MSM patients at high risk for mpox without a known mpox diagnosis who had orthopoxvirus IgM, indicating recent exposure to mpox. That rate of IgM positivity is similar to the 1.4% rate among persons experiencing homelessness in San Francisco during JulyOctober 2022 (11). Mpox was retrospectively detected by PCR in 5.6% of lesion swab samples obtained across the country, suggesting that mpox was probably undiagnosed in a small subset of symptomatic patients during the height of the mpox outbreak in the United States. The highest percentage positivity was among those who reported sexual behavior that places someone at increased for STI/HIV. However, the second highest percentage positivity was among those for whom mpox testing was retrospectively ordered by the clinician after negative diagnostic test results for other common rash illnesses, suggesting that clinician awareness was higher for mpox during this period. The data from the 2 analyses reported here indicate that as long as persons are aware of mpox and the need to seek medical care, the percentage of undiagnosed cases remains low, as it did during the peak of the outbreak.
The clinical manifestations (especially skin lesions, pustules, and rashes) of mpox patients can be confused with those of varicella zoster virus and STIs (e.g., herpes and syphilis), and mpox can co-occur with other STIs. However, in the molecular study, we did not find any significant levels of co-infections with mpox and other STIs.
That the earliest positive IgM result was obtained in mid-July suggests infection up to 56 days earlier. The lack of IgM detection before that time, in a small sample from 1 region, is suggestive that cases may not have been prevalent before the first detection on May 17. Of the 3 persons with an IgM-positive result, 2 self-reported symptoms consistent with mpox within the previous 3 months.
Among the limitations of our analyses, the response rates to the survey were low. The serologic survey relied on patient self-screening through the survey questionnaire, self-reported symptoms, and travel history. Also, the serologic survey was conducted in San Francisco, where infrastructure and resources may not be reflective of other geographic locations. Because the serologic survey was a point seroprevalence study, no follow-up testing or interviews were conducted among the participants who were positive for orthopoxvirus IgM; it is unknown whether any participants previously had signs/symptoms that were not reported on the survey or if signs/symptoms ultimately developed. Only 3 specimens were positive for both orthopoxvirus IgG and IgM. For the other 15 IgG-positive/IgM-negative specimens, it is unknown whether the participants had been exposed to orthopoxvirus beyond the IgM detection window or whether they did not self-report previous vaccination (many JYNNEOS vaccination campaigns were ongoing during the study period). We did not collect information on military service, which would include persons who may have received ACAM2000, a live-replicating vaccinia virus vaccine that results in production of orthopoxvirus antibodies. Because we used IgG as the initial screening tool, a participant could have been IgM positive and IgG negative; however, because that window of time is small (34 days), the likelihood of missing potential cases is low. The major limitations of molecular testing were similar to those of any study relying on ICD-10-CM codes for analysis and for which detailed patient history was not available beyond the ICD-10-CM codes on test requisitions.
In conclusion, the rate of undiagnosed mpox infections during the peak of reported cases in the United States was low among persons at high risk for disease (represented by participants in the San Francisco serosurvey). Mpox diagnosis was probably missed for some persons with rash (represented by retrospective molecular testing at HealthTrackRx), and providers should remain vigilant and conduct mpox testing from lesion swab samples on patients with mpox signs/symptoms. We rapidly collected our data during the peak of the outbreak to provide information for the epidemiologic response. Ongoing serologic and molecular studies that are underway that use specimens stored before May 2022 will be useful for determining whether mpox was present before the outbreak was identified in the United States.
Dr. Minhaj is an emergency medicine pharmacist/toxicologist and an epidemiologist at CDC within the Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. His work focuses on medical countermeasures related to orthopoxviruses.
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We thank Inger Damon for early constructive conversations with HealthTrackRx, members of the CDC mpox outbreak response (including the Laboratory and Testing and Epidemiology Task Forces), Nathanael Gistand, staff at each participating clinic site, and the patients who volunteered for the serologic study. We also acknowledge Bernadette Aragon, Jon Oskarsson, and Judith Sansone for their research contributions.
Use of trade names and commercial sources are for identification only and do not imply endorsement by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen Hoang Xuan Chien presents certificates of merit from the Minister of National Defence for peacekeeping forces engaging in activities of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) Vietnam is striving to raise the rate of female officers in the country's peacekeeping force to 20% by 2025, Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen Hoang Xuan Chien told a conference in Hanoi on October 19.
Chien said Vietnam pledges to continue maintaining staff of the Engineering Unit and Level-2 Field Hospital as well as those in peacekeeping missions. He wished to continue receiving support from the UN and international community to expand the country's presence and capability as requested.
The officer noted that Vietnam is among the leading countries regarding the rate of women in peacekeeping forces, with 16%, compared to the general rate of around 10%.
Col. Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department ofPeacekeepingOperations, reported that both the Engineering Unit Rotation No. 1 and the Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 of Vietnam had excellently performed their tasks during their terms .
He said the Engineering Unit Rotation No. 1 had fulfilled the tasks assigned by the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The team built, upgraded and repaired major transportation routes and patrol roads totalling 303 km in length, ensured the smooth flow of traffic on all routes, undertook repairs and maintenance for camp facilities, bridges, and infrastructure in the UNISFA operational area.
It was chosen by UNISFA Force Commander as the pioneering unit in the smart camp project, which involves restructuring the mission's infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4 provided treatment for 1,468 patients, came up with plans to fight COVID-19, malaria, monkey pox and Ebola.
The two units actively engaged in mobilisation activities such as providing free checkups and medicines for local people and helping the host locality dredge canals and build drainages. They also planted trees in schools, hospitals, villages and military bases to create a clean and beautiful environment, and donated books, notebooks, writing materials and clothing to local students.
Concluding its tenure, the Engineer Unit Rotation No. 1 received commendation letters from the UNISFA Force Commander, the Director of the UN Police Division, the Chief of the UN Mission Support, the Ministry of Education and Department of Education of Abyei in recognition of their significant contributions and dedication to assigned work.
The hospital and five staff members received certificates of merit from the UNISFA Force Commander for performing their assigned tasks extremely well.
On the occasion, collectives and individuals of both units received certificates of merit from the Minister of National Defence and the Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam Peoples Army for their outstanding achievements at UN missions./.
There is wide variability in what the U.S. public knows about the seasonal flu and COVID-19, but some facts are much more strongly associated with an individuals vaccination behavior.
For several years, the Annenberg Public Policy Centers nationally representative Annenberg Public Health and Knowledge Survey (ASAPH) has assessed public knowledge of vital health information, including how to prevent and treat the seasonal flu and COVID-19, two of the three illnesses in last years tripledemic outbreak that overwhelmed some health care facilities (the third was RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus).
Even after taking education into account, survey data reveal that the answers to just eight questions are better than many others at predicting whether a person has been vaccinated against the flu or is willing to get an annual COVID-19 vaccine if recommended by public health officials.
Knowledge about the nature, effects, and prevention against a potentially deadly virus is valuable in its own right, says Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). But some knowledge is more associated with vaccination than other knowledge.
APPC research director Dan Romersays the ASAPH surveys, which were administered with a nationally representative panel of U.S. adults, posed two dozen questions to assess public health knowledge of the flu and COVID-19. All of those questions were related to forms of vaccination acceptanceeither with having received a flu shot or expressing a willingness to get an annual COVID-19 vaccine. Weve picked the eight questionsfour for the flu and four for COVIDthat had the strongest ability to independently predict taking either action, Romer says.
The survey data come from the 10th and 12th waves of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge Survey (ASAPH), a nationally representative panel of U.S. adults first empaneled in April 2021 that was conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent market research company.
The flu questions were asked in the 10th wave of the survey, which was conducted Jan. 10-16, 2023, among 1,657 U.S. adults. Individuals who got at least three questions right about the flu vaccine are more likely than average to say they had received a flu shot in the 2022-23 flu season.
The COVID-19 questions were asked in the 12th wave of the survey, which was fielded in August 2023. Individuals who got at least three questions right about the COVID-19 vaccine are more likely than average to say they were very or somewhat willing to get a yearly COVID-19 vaccination if the CDC were to recommend it.
Read more at Annenberg Public Policy Center.
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A sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employees of private Texas businesses passed the Texas Senate early Friday, although medical facilities would be allowed to enact other policies to help lower the risks to vulnerable patients.
Senate Bill 7, by Galveston Republican Sen. Mayes Middleton, would subject private employers to state fines and other actions if they fire or punish employees or contractors who refuse the shot.
The bill offers no exceptions for doctors offices, clinics or other health facilities, but senators did agree to allow those entities to require unvaccinated employees to wear personal protective gear such as face masks or take other reasonable measures to manage the spread.
The legislation passed on a 19-12 party line vote just after midnight and is heading to the House, where similar efforts stalled out earlier this year. It now awaits referral to a House committee.
The vote comes after years of Republican attempts to reign in COVID-related restrictions like mask mandates and vaccine requirements. Supporters said the bill is critical to support individual rights to make their own health care decisions without negative consequences to their livelihoods.
No one should be forced to make that awful decision between making a living for their family and their health or individual vaccine preference, Middleton told senators during a bill hearing earlier this week.
Opponents argued that the coronavirus is still dangerous to many people, that it can lead to long COVID even in those who experience mild symptoms, and that the ban takes away the ability of health care professionals to institute vaccine policies that lower the risk of viral spread for their patients. It also, some critics say, infringes on the rights of business owners to make their own policy decisions.
Including health care facilities and doctors offices in the ban triggered objections by two members of the Senate Health and Human Services committee who have had kidney transplants Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, and Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston.
It also drew skepticism by the Republican chair of the committee, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, who on Thursday supported allowing health care facilities to enact other policies for employees who choose not to be vaccinated.
I think that we've been able to put the words in place that give us a good sound policy, that going forward if a health care worker does not want to be vaccinated, that the hospital or the health care facility can help mitigate that with mask and gloves and different things, but it has to be reasonable, Kolkhorst said during the floor debate.
Experts in the medical and scientific community say the COVID-19 vaccine does not prevent the spread entirely, but it can reduce transmission and significantly diminish symptoms and severity of the illness.
Bill purists fought against allowing health care providers to circumvent, even slightly, the ban proposed by Middletons legislation and wanted to see it passed as originally written.
Both Middleton and state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, have openly said they dont trust the vaccines safety and efficacy. Hall said earlier this week that he believes the pandemic and vaccine response was a test by the government to find out how people will react when the state forces them to mask up, lock down, and take a vaccine then subsequently controls their lives.
In late 2021, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning the mandates, but it led to confusion over who was covered by the order and how enforceable it was. That order expired in June, triggering a legislative attempt to codify it during the regular session earlier this year. After that attempt failed, Abbott added the issue to the agenda for this years third special legislative session.
A new state law banning governmental entities from requiring the COVID-19 vaccine went into effect last month.
Kolkhorst said earlier this week that the debate comes down to a mistrust of science stemming from a lack of what she and some others believe is reliable data on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Legislation she and Middleton carried during the regular session earlier this year included exemptions for all private employers that allow employees to opt out for medical or conscience reasons.
It also would have exempted health care facilities from the ban on vaccine mandates as long as they didnt force employees to take it if their doctors determined they were medically not a good candidate.
In both cases, the business or facility also would have been required to have procedures for unvaccinated staff to protect other employees from exposure.
That bill passed the Senate but died near the end of the regular session in May without a hearing in a House committee. A similar effort died in 2021 after business groups rallied against it.
A vial labelled "Novavax V COVID-19 Vaccine" is seen in this illustration taken January 16, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Oct 16 (Reuters) - Novavax (NVAX.O) said on Monday it was "encouraged" by the broad availability of its updated COVID-19 vaccine being rolled out in the U.S., days after rival Pfizer (PFE.N) slashed its full-year revenue forecast.
"It is too soon to evaluate U.S. vaccination rates given that vaccinations will continue in the coming weeks," Novavax added.
Shares of vaccine maker Novavax and rival Moderna (MRNA.O) were down 6% to 7% after Pfizer on Friday flagged concerns on lower-than-expected sales of its COVID-19 vaccine and treatment.
Novavax also said it continues to work in close partnership with the European Medicines Agency (EMA), after the regulator delayed a decision to give approval for the company's variant-tailored COVID-19 shot.
The company will provide an update on its upcoming third-quarter earnings in early November 2023.
Reporting by Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath
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