.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
THE HUB
NEWS | ANNOUNCEMENTS | INFORMATION
How to Check If You’re Immune to Measles
November 17, 2024 (Scientific American) Certain adults may need to get an additional dose of the measles vaccine. Here’s how to know if you have adequate immunity to measles
By Tara Haelle
The Value of Targeting the JN.1 “Tree Trunk”
November 14, 2024 (Novavax) Viruses evolve. It’s the reason healthcare providers recommend getting updated flu and COVID-19 shots this respiratory virus season. Do you plan to get an updated vaccine?
LinkedIn Video post:
Why protective antibodies fade after COVID-19 vaccines
October 29, 2024 (NIH) Some vaccines offer long-lasting protection. For instance, the tetanus vaccine protects for at least 10 years. With other vaccines, protection may begin to decline within a few months. To provide enduring immunity, a vaccine must elicit production of long-lived plasma cells, a type of immune cell that matures over time in the bone marrow and can rapidly trigger production of disease-fighting antibodies.
Recommendations announced for influenza vaccine composition for the 2025 southern hemisphere influenza season
September 23rd, 2024 (Switzerland) The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the recommendations for the viral composition of influenza vaccines for the 2025 influenza season in the southern hemisphere. The announcement was made at an information session after a 4-day meeting on the Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines.
New Study Provides Insight to Why Covid Vaccines Hit Some Harder than Others
September. 3, 2024 (Yale Medicine) As a summer marked by yet another COVID-19 surge draws to a close, newly updated COVID vaccines are becoming available for the fall and winter months, a time of year when respiratory illnesses can overwhelm hospitals. The new shots are expected to provide protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death related to COVID.
Message by the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO - June 2024
July. 16, 2024 (World Health Organization) WHO and UNICEF unveiled their latest national immunization coverage estimates (WUENIC), the most comprehensive dataset on vaccination trends against 13 diseases. The results are a mix of progress and urgent calls to action.
HPV vaccine prevents cancer in males as well as females, researchers say
June. 18, 2024 (KickStarter) Before the COVID-19 pandemic, resistance to vaccines was about 1-3% of the U.S. population. During the COVID pandemic, vaccine resistance and refusal rose to about 15% - including new groups for routine vaccines for kids, and vaccines for cats and dogs. Misinformation is driving that resistance and vaccine refusal, which has spread to include elections and climate change.
​
Vaccine refusals during the pandemic resulted in many thousand of unnecessary deaths, with estimates up to 200,000 excess deaths in the U.S. If we don’t act now to both reverse misinformation and prevent it from spreading in the future, we will be unprepared for future microbial and civil disruption outbreaks.
Dr. Mike Miller Joins "Care Talk with Quick and Quack" to Discuss the Importance of Vaccination
May. 24, 2024 (Valley Free Radio WXOJ-LP) Are you curious about vaccines and their role in public health? Don’t miss the latest episode of "Care Talk with Quick and Quack," where Dr. Mike Miller, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Why We Vaccinate, joins hosts Dr. Evan Benjamin and Dr. Bill Cutler. Broadcasting on Valley Free Radio WXOJ-LP, this special episode promises to deliver valuable insights into the science and significance of vaccination.
COVID-19 Variant Update
April. 30, 2024 (IDSA/CDC) -- As of April 30, 2024, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant JN.1 has high prevalence in the United States, with JN.1 and its subvariants making up nearly all illnesses in the United States. CDC Nowcast projections estimate a quickly emerging Omicron JN.1 descendant, KP.2 (also called JN.1.11.1.2), to account for approximately 25% of new COVID-19 illnesses in the US. The proportion of illnesses caused by KP.2 is rapidly increasing, from 3.9% estimated during the week of March 30 to 24.9% estimated during the week of April 27, 2024.
Developing an Array of Diverse Vaccine Platforms
April. 10, 2024 (Novavax) -- The past few years have seen tremendous advances in the field of vaccinology, including developments in vaccine technology. These advances mean more options for providers, patients and policy makers — and more opportunities for pharma to leverage the latest technologies to develop novel protein-based vaccines.
Bay Area health officials issue measles warning
March. 29, 2024 (NBC/Bay Area) -- Measles is once again showing up in America. Outbreaks of the virus once believed to be eradicated in the U.S. have now been reported in several states that includes northern California. NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai spoke to UCSF’s Dr. Peter Chin-Hong for some insight.
Vaccines to Watch in 2024
March. 19, 2024 (Drug Topics Journal) -- Public attitudes toward vaccination have become increasingly complex in recent years. Factors such as vaccine fatigue and misinformation—which began circulating during the COVID-19 pandemic and has persisted—have eroded trust in vaccination, making some individuals hesitant to roll up their sleeves. Some who had previously relied on vaccine regimens began to question their value, increasing skepticism and causing a dip in vaccine uptake.
HPV vaccine prevents cancer in males as well as females, researchers say
February. 11, 2024 (Taylor & Francis Online) Dr. Daniel Salmon and co-authors highlight the importance of vaccine pharmacovigilance in their article "Lessons Learned from COVID-19, H1N1, and Routine Vaccine Pharmacovigilance in the United States." Vaccine pharmacovigilance involves detecting and analyzing adverse events following immunization (AEFI) to determine their cause and characterize related risks. A strong post-authorization safety system is crucial for informed vaccine decisions, clinical guidelines, compensation, and public confidence.
No cervical cancer cases detected in vaccinated women following HPV immunisation
January. 22, 2024 (Public Health Scotland) -- An exciting new study from Public Health Scotland (PHS), in collaboration with the Universities of Strathclyde and Edinburgh, shows that no cervical cancer cases have been detected in fully vaccinated women following the human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation at age 12-13 since the programme started in Scotland in 2008.
FDA’s Califf calls for more plain-language scientific evidence to dilute vaccine misinformation
January 9, 2024 Fierce Pharma reports: FDA commissioner Robert Califf has urged the clinical and biomedical community to step up efforts to counter vaccine misinformation with “accurate plain-language information” about the benefits and risks of vaccination.
Real-world analysis: COVID-19 vaccine is strongly effective for children and adolescents during delta and omicron
January 8, 2024 (Penn Medicine News) Health record analysis showed that risk of infection and severe illness was significantly lower for those who were vaccinated, and cardiac conditions did not increase
BioFuture 2024 Featured Speaker: Jeremy Abbate, Scientific American, Why We Vax Board Member
November 16, 2024 (NYC) Our board of directors member, Jeremy Abbate, was a featured speaker at #BioFuture2024. Jeremy was able to engage with industry leaders, healthcare change-makers, and trailblazing companies.
LinkedIn Video post: HERE
WHO study lists top endemic pathogens for which new vaccines are urgently needed
November 5, 2024 (WHO-Geneva, Switzerland)
A new World Health Organization (WHO) study published today in eBioMedicine names 17 pathogens that regularly cause diseases in communities as top priorities for new vaccine development. The WHO study is the first global effort to systematically prioritize endemic pathogens based on criteria that included regional disease burden, antimicrobial resistance risk and socioeconomic impact.
Inside the push to create a safe, effective vaccine for breast cancer
October 3rd, 2024 (New York) Kristen Dahlgren, founder of research non-profit The Cancer Vaccine Coalition, and NBC News medical contributor Dr. Natalie Azar, join TODAY to break down the emerging breast cancer vaccine trials currently in the early stages in the US and who can benefit the most. Watch the video.
FAQ: Updated FDA Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines
July. 19, 2024 (CDC and IDSA) There have been several updates to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations since the initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. The most recent update was recommended by CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on June 27, 2024; monovalent COVID vaccines this coming fall/winter season should contain an antigen against JN.1. This FAQ covers that update and the reasons for the FDA’s recommendation.
Global childhood immunization levels stalled in 2023, leaving many without life-saving protection
July. 15, 2024 (World Health Organization) Global childhood immunization coverage stalled in 2023, leaving 2.7 million additional children un- and under-vaccinated compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to data published today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
Analysis finds global infectious disease outbreaks “surging”
June. 19, 2024 (Vaccine Nation) Analysis by Airfinity and Bloomberg News, reported in June 2024, suggests that at least 13 infectious diseases are showing a resurgence. A study compiling data from over 60 organisations and public health agencies finds that more than 40 countries or territories have reported at least one infectious disease resurgence that is at 10-fold, or above, higher than pre-pandemic baseline. The results are displayed onto a spike map, including the following diseases: chickenpox, cholera, dengue, measles, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, parvovirus B19, invasive Group A Streptococcus, pertussis, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), vaccine-derived poliovirus, and tuberculosis.
MEASLES AND THE COST OF VACCINE HESITANCY
May. 20, 2024 (University of Utah) Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, meaning that there was no sustained transmission. Yet outbreaks of measles in the United States have continued to occur, with the most recent reported in 2024. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 131 cases of measles in 21 jurisdictions have been reported this year alone. Eight outbreaks—defined as three or more related cases—have occurred. The majority of these cases impact children under 5 years old, and 81% were not vaccinated against the virus. Larger outbreaks are occurring in the UK, parts of Europe, and throughout the world.
Novavax presentations during WVC at the World Vaccine Congress 2024 between 10am and 4pm. Don’t miss these very important topics
April. 3, 2024 (Novavax) -- Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a global company advancing protein-based vaccines with its Matrix-M™ adjuvant, will showcase continued progress on data from its updated COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-CoV2601) and provide an overview of its influenza and COVID-19-Influenza Combination (CIC) vaccine candidates at the World Vaccine Congress 2024 (WVC) in Washington, DC, April 2 to 4, 2024.
New data from Novavax's ongoing research on its updated XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine in participants who previously received an mRNA vaccine showed robust neutralizing antibody titers for the XBB.1.5 subvariant as well as for the currently circulating JN.1 subvariant. Data also showed that the vaccine's safety and reactogenicity profile was consistent with its prototype vaccine (NVX-CoV2373).
Moderna says new Covid vaccine showed stronger immune response than current shot in study
March. 26, 2024 (CNBC/Health and Science) -- Moderna said a new version of its Covid vaccine triggered a stronger immune response against the virus than its current shot on the market in a late-stage trial. The biotech company’s new “next-generation” shot offers the potential of a longer shelf life and is one component of its combination vaccine targeting Covid and the flu.
Latest COVID Vaccine Shields Against Current Dominant Strain
February. 2, 2024 ( USN/HealthDay News) -- In some good news for those folks who rolled up their sleeves for the latest COVID vaccine last fall, new government research shows the updated shots halve the chances of getting a symptomatic infection.
How fringe anti-science views infiltrated mainstream politics — and what it means in 2024
January 18, 2024 ( CBS News) --Rates of routine childhood vaccination hit a 10-year low in 2023. That, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, puts about 250,000 kindergartners at risk for measles, which often leads to hospitalization and can cause death. In recent weeks, an infant and two young children have been hospitalized amid an ongoing measles outbreak in Philadelphia that spread to a day care center.
The New Vaccines to Get in 2024
January 11, 2024TIME Magazine reports: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending new vaccines for adults and kids in 2024, according to its latest annual guidelines finalized Jan. 11. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a collection of medical and public-health experts who regularly review evidence and research about vaccines, compiled the new guidelines.
THE HUB
Exploring the World of Vaccines: Informative and Inspiring News Articles on Vaccination